The 2018/19 UEFA Women’s Champions League qualifiers kicked off today, with the first games in the mini-tournaments yielding no points for the British sides.
Cardiff Met lose after late free kick hits bar
Cardiff Met took the lead against top seeds Olimpia Cluj after an Aimee Phillips strike was bundled home by Naomi Clipston. The Archers had Chloe Chivers stretchered off and goalkeeper Estelle Randall did well to protect the advantage but Cluj hit three goals in a decisive 12-minute spell through Mara Bâtea, Cristina Carp and Phoenetia Browne. However, Phillips reduced the arrears and only the crossbar denied Met a last-minute leveller.
Next up for the Welsh side on Friday is Kharkiv, who put eight goals past Birkirkara, with five of those coming in the first 45 minutes.
Penalty miss costs City
Glasgow City missed a penalty as they lost out 2-1 to Anderlecht at Oriam. Ella van Kerkhoven’s 24th-minute goal should have been cancelled out but Leanne Ross hit the post with the spot-kick and the keeper saved the follow-up. Ella van Gorp doubled the lead with 8 minutes left, Lara Ivanusa then getting an injury-time consolation.
City next play Georgian side Martve at Oriam (12.30 ko, Friday) and they were thrashed 12-0 by Górnik Leczna, whose Eweline Kamczyk top-scored with four goals.
Wexford fall to Ajax fightback
At Seaview in Belfast, Linfield trailed 1-0 to Thór/KA at half-time through an Ariana Calderon goal and fell two behind to a Stephany Mayor effort 7 minutes from the end. Linfield will be up against Ajax in their second match.
The same venue had earlier seen Wexford make a great start to the second half against Ajax, as Rianna Jarrett opened the scoring. But they found themselves behind within 6 minutes, as Kay-Lee de Sanders and Ellen Jansen replied. Lois Oudemast and Liza van der Most then both scored in a six-minute spell midway through the half to make sure of the points with a 4-1 scoreline.
