Rampant Barcelona seal quarter-final place, Lyon advance despite draw

Published 21/12/2023 at 22:39 GMT

Barcelona and Lyon sealed their places in the last eight of the UEFA Women’s Champions League with two matches to spare.

The Spanish giants ran out emphatic 7-0 winners over Rosengard, while Lyon drew 2-2 with Brann.

Keira Walsh gave Barcelona a 15th-minute lead with a deflected low effort and Caroline Graham Hansen doubled the advantage before half-time after a smart one-two with Aitana Bonmati.

Salma Paralluelo’s quick-fire double made it 4-0 in the second half as she drew level with Chelsea’s Sam Kerr as the competition’s top scorer with five.

Claudia Pina added a fifth after the visitors failed to clear a Lucy Bronze cross, and the England international played her part as Marta Torrejob made it six. Teenager Martina Fernandez wrapped up the scoring.

Victory stretches Barcelona’s lead in Group A to five points.

Lyon, meanwhile, advance despite surrendering a two-goal lead in a 2-2 draw with Brann.

Amel Majri’s opener and Ada Hegerberg’s penalty had given the French side a 2-0 lead after just 13 minutes, but the hosts halved the deficit through Justine Kielland 11 minutes before half-time.

Lyon were down to 10 players when Lindsey Horan was sent off after 52 minutes for a push, and Brann made their numerical advantage pay when Signe Gaupset grabbed a leveller in the 94th-minute.

Regardless, the point was enough to secure Lyon a place in the top two of Group B.

There was late drama in Germany as Lena Pauels saved a stoppage-time penalty to help secure Benfica a crucial point in a 1-1 draw with Eintracht Frankfurt.

Frankfurt had created a host of opportunities in the match and had looked likely to score what would have been a deserved winner when the referee pointed to the spot in the fourth minute of additional time after a foul on Carlotta Wamser. However, Laura Freigang’s spot kick was repelled by Paurels.

Nycole Raysla had previously levelled the game for Benfica in the 71st-minute to cancel out Geraldine Reuteler’s first-half opener.

The draw leaves Benfica in control of their own destiny as they remain second in Group A, three points above Frankfurt in third.

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