Glasgow City and PK-35 among ten to progress
Thursday, August 16, 2012
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A draw in the Group 8 decider proved sufficient for Glasgow City LFC and PK-35 Vantaa to join eight other teams in reaching the knockout stages, six of whom qualified with maximum points.
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Glasgow City LFC's 1-1 draw against PK-35 Vantaa ensured that last season's round of 16 participants finished top of Group 8 to qualify on seven points. Their opponents, only second on goal difference, joined Spartak Jaffa in progression to the knockout stage as the two best runners-up.
Elsewhere WFC SFK 2000 Sarajevo's seven points proved sufficient, while FC Zürich, BIIK Shymkent, CFF Olimpia Cluj, RTP Unia Racibórz, Apollon Limassol LFC and MTK Hungária FC all finished with 100% records to cruise through. The qualified ten now join the 22 top-ranked teams, including holders Olympique Lyonnais, in the draws for the rounds of 32 and 16 on 23 August.
With a place in the knockout phase confirmed, Zürich signed off with an assured 8-0 victory against FK Gintra Universitetas, to cement their position atop the standings with maximum points. ŽNK Pomurje Beltinci finished second, Tjaša Tibaut scoring twice in a 4-2 success versus Turkish outfit Ataşehir Belediyespor, who ended the game with ten players.
BIIK Shymkent booked their place in the knockout phase and maintained a 100% record by overcoming NSA Sofia 4-0, who finished third. Sofia's loss was Spartak Jaffa's gain, the Serbian side progressing as one of two best runners-up. Captain Violeta Slović's 78th-minute goal proved decisive at bottom side Pärnu JK.
Olimpia Cluj suffered a setback when SU 1° Dezembro took an early lead, but they responded in style to clinch a 4-1 win. Cosmina Duşa scored a hat-trick to take her group stage tally to eight and maintain the Romanian side's flawless record. Glentoran Belfast United WFC finished third, consigning point-less Birkirkara FC to a 3-1 defeat.
Unia Racibórz will feature in the knockout phase after Chinasa found the net for the eighth time in qualifying to condemn FC Bobruichanka to a 5-0 reverse. "I'm very happy with the goals I have scored, I did not expect so many of them," she said. ŠK Slovan Bratislava made no mistake in tying up second place in the group, an 8-0 win against Ekonomist shaped by six different goalscorers.
Sarajevo were held to a 1-1 draw against ASA Tel-Aviv, but the undefeated side still topped the group to qualify. Meanwhile Peamount United beat UWIC LFC 4-0 to finish as group runners-up. "Unfortunately we slipped up in the first match," said coach Eileen Gleeson, whose side did not do enough to secure a knockout spot.
Apollon Limassol LFC coasted a 3-0 win against WFC Kharkiv to maintain their 100% record, all three second-half goals coming after Eleni Giannou was shown a straight red card. The Cypriots have not conceded a goal in qualifying for the knockout stage, and have registered an impressive 31 times - helped by nine-goal striker Laura Rus. KS Ada Velipoje lost 11-1 KI Klaksvík to finish bottom of the group.
Two second-half goals ensured that MTK overcame Greek side FC PAOK Thessaloniki 2-0 in the final battle for top spot in Group 7, while ZFK Nase Taksi-SNT 2010 clinched third and consolation with a 5-2 win against point-less SKONTO FK.
Glasgow City's 1-1 draw against hosts PK-35 in the table-topping decider was sufficient for both sides to clinch a place in the knockout stage. Both goals came inside the first eight minutes in a tight affair that ultimately meant Glasgow assumed pole position. "I'm satisfied," said Glasgow coach Eddie Wolecki Black. "We have a lot of progress to make, but the main thing was to get through." Maja Joščak and Ana Marija Kalamiza both hit hat-tricks as WFC Osijek defeated FC Noroc Nimoreni 11-1.