Barcelona score nine in the Women's Champions League, while Arsenal secure a victory over Valerenga
Barcelona rebounded from an initial defeat to deliver a commanding 9-0 victory over Hammarby in the Women's Champions League on Wednesday, while Bayern Munich secured a 2-0 triumph against Juventus.
The reigning champions, Barcelona, dominated their Swedish rivals in Catalonia, making a strong statement following their unexpected loss to Manchester City the previous week.
Caroline Graham Hansen, Claudia Pina, and Alexia Putellas each contributed to a commanding lead by halftime.
Mapi Leon netted a fourth goal, followed by Pina and Graham each adding two more goals around an Ewa Pajor strike, with Esmee Brugts and Fridolina Rolfo rounding off the scoring.
"I am very pleased with the performance as we maintained our intensity for over 90 minutes," stated Barcelona coach Pere Romeu, as reported by UEFA's website.
"It reflects their champion mentality that they remained relentless once the game was secured."
Graham initiated the scoring just 10 minutes into the match, with Pina adding a second in the 24th minute, and Putellas finding the net just before halftime after being unmarked in the box.
Leon extended the lead with a header in the 53rd minute, as the second half saw a flurry of four goals within a span of 22 minutes.
Rolfo's penalty in the 90th minute allowed Barcelona to match their previous 9-0 Champions League victory over Benfica in 2022.
In another match, Manchester City overcame St Poelten 3-2 in a thrilling contest in Vienna, with goals from Alanna Kennedy, Aoba Fujino, and Mary Fowler.
Kennedy opened the scoring for City in the fifth minute with a powerful shot from 35 yards that eluded the goalkeeper and found the net via the post.
The hosts equalized when City struggled to clear a corner, allowing Melanie Brunnthaler to score in the 40th minute.
St Poelten then took an unexpected lead eight minutes into the second half with Kamila Dubcova's volley into the top corner.
However, Fujino equalized for City just four minutes later, and with ten minutes remaining, Fowler scored the decisive header, propelling City to the top of Group D with six points.
Goals from Linda Dallmann and Pernille Harder either side of halftime secured a narrow victory for Bayern Munich in north-eastern Italy.
With two victories from two matches, the German champions Bayern currently lead Group C, holding a three-point advantage over Arsenal, who occupy second place.
"We have made a strong start, but our work is far from complete. We have faced Arsenal and Juventus, both formidable opponents, yet there remains a long journey ahead," stated Bayern coach Alexander Straus.
Bayern broke through Juventus' defense in the 18th minute when Dallmann managed to nudge the ball over the goal line from close range after it had bounced around the penalty area following a corner kick.
In the second half, Juventus pressed forward in search of an equalizer, while Bayern aimed to contain their opponents and maintain their lead.
However, Juventus' struggles with defensive set pieces allowed the visitors to secure their victory in the 73rd minute, as Harder netted her fourth goal of the tournament from a corner.
Arsenal revitalized their campaign after their initial defeat to Bayern, achieving a 4-1 victory over Valerenga at the Emirates Stadium, marking their first match since the departure of coach Jonas Eidevall.
Emily Fox provided Arsenal with an ideal start, scoring just 61 seconds into the match from inside the six-yard box.
The hosts extended their lead in the 29th minute with a goal from Caitlin Foord, but Olaug Tvedten reduced the deficit ten minutes before halftime. Late goals from Mariona Caldentey and Alessia Russo ensured Arsenal's first win of the campaign was secure.
On Thursday, Wolfsburg will host Lyon in a matchup featuring two former champions of the tournament, while English champions Chelsea will travel to Twente.
SportsLigue