Big names learn fate

The lineup for the UEFA Women's Cup second qualifying round in October is known and even the established names could face tough challenges if they are to make the knockout phase.

Seeds given bye
Eleven teams went through after the first qualifying round that concluded on Tuesday, ten group winners and best runners-up CFF Clujana. They join the five top seeds given a bye to the second stage, including holders Arsenal LFC, last season's runners-up Umeå IK, 2006/07 semi-finalists Brøndby IF and Kolbotn IL plus two-time winners 1. FFC Frankfurt.

Arsenal opponents
Arsenal are in Group B1, and face three teams who scored freely to get through, Italy's ASD CF Bardolino Verona, Alma KTZH of Kazakhstan and Austria's SV Neulengbach. It will also not be straightforward for Umeå of Sweden, as ambitious Russian club WFC Rossiyanka are among their opponents, along with Universitet Vitebsk of Belarus and Clujana, who were pipped in Group A10 by AC Sparta Praha but had the best record of any of the runners-up against the teams finishing first and third in their pool. Clujana and Vitebsk met in this competition in 2005/06, drawing 2-2.

Frankfurt challenge
The other two mini-tournaments look even more difficult to call. Frankfurt will be favourites in Group B3 as they look to make up for their disappointing quarter-final exit last season but will be challenged by an Everton LFC side featuring several members of England's FIFA Women's World Cup squad, 2005/06 quarter-finalists Valur Reykjavík and Belgium's KFC Rapide Wezemaal. Group B4 not only features two of last season's semi-finalists - Brøndby and Kolbotn - but also Olympique Lyonnais, who struck 29 goals without reply in their first three European fixtures, and Sparta, last-eight contenders two seasons ago.

Knockout phase
After the groups are played between 11 and 16 October in single-venue mini-tournaments, the top two from each pool will progress to November's quarter-finals. The draw for the knockout phase is already set, and if Arsenal and Umeå both win their groups they are on course for a potential semi-final encounter in April.