Kolbotn fightback foils Frankfurt
Thursday, October 19, 2006
Article summary
1. FFC Frankfurt 3-2 Kolbotn IL (agg: 4-4, Kolbotn win on away goals) A dramatic 60-second Kolbotn comeback ended the reign of holders Frankfurt.
Article body
Norwegian champions Kolbotn IL produced a dramatic comeback to knock holders 1. FFC Frankfurt out of the UEFA Women's Cup - meaning that for the first time there will be no German club in the semi-finals.
Frankfurt ahead
Kolbotn won the first leg of this quarter-final 2-1 last week, but in front of 2,500 spectators today Frankfurt took just eight minutes to move ahead on away goals through Sandra Smisek. Five minutes after the interval her Germany team-mate Petra Wimbersky put the two-time winners ahead on aggregate, and when Smisek scored again just before the hour mark it looked as though the holders would be heading through.
Kolbotn comeback
But that all changed very suddenly. In the 66th minute Solveig Gulbrandsen gave Kolbotn hope and seconds later Isabell Herlovsen pulled the aggregate score back to 4-4 - with her side now leading on away goals. Frankfurt upped the tempo but were unable to edge back in front and now bow out at the earliest stage of their five entries. Their Bundesliga rivals 1. FFC Turbine Potsdam are also out, having been ousted by Brøndby yesterday.
Umeå test?
Kolbotn are now set to meet another club to have lifted the trophy twice, Umeå IK, as the Swedes lead Dutch side Saestum 6-1 ahead of their home second leg. The semi-finals are scheduled for next month.
