An early goal saw Chelsea beat Bayern Munich, Man City sank St Polten 3-0 away, while Glasgow City went down to three goals in a ten-minute spell in Shymkent.
Chelsea had the best of starts in front of a crowd of 2,136 against Bayern Munich, as Drew Spence finished off a ninth-minute move involving Hannah Blundell and Ramona Bachmann.
From a free-kick soon after, Dominika Skorvankova hit the post for Bayern, while Mille Bright went close for the hosts.
Bayern enjoyed a strong spell after the interval but found Hedvig Lindahl in their way, making some crucial saves including tipping over a Nicole Rolser effort.
Man City bring home 3-0 advantage
Demi Stokes fired Manchester City ahead 22 minutes into the game with St Polten in Austria and 8 minutes later Steph Houghton spectacularly netted a long-range free-kick.
City were well on course for the Round of 16 before the break, as Nikita Parris got the third from a cross by Stokes.
Although more on the defensive after the interval, Nick Cushing’s side did have the ball in the net again but Houghton’s header was deemed offside.
Glasgow City hit by harsh defeat
Glasgow City kicked off the UEFA Women’s Champions League knockout stage in an early kick-off away to BIIK Kazygurt and were on the wrong end of a harsh 3-0 scoreline, even through they created several more efforts on goal.
City held their hosts to a goalless first half in the 1st leg tie, with Katie McCabe and Lauren McMurchie going close.
But the Kazakhstan side broke the deadlock very early in the second period through Begaim Kirgizbaeva’s deflected shot, Kaelyn Korte made it 2-0 with a 25-yard strike and when Lee Aleander slipped coming out of her area to clear, Gulnara Gabelia took advantage to make it three goals in a ten-minute spell.
The visitors were closest to getting a goal back on 71 minutes, when Madina Shoikina made a fine double save to deny Leanne Crichton and Noelle Murray.
High fives for holders
Lyon began their defence of the trophy with a 5-0 win in Poland over Medyk Konin. An Ada Hegerberg brace and one from Wendie Renard had them three up at half-time. Hegerberg completed her hat-trick midway through the second half, with Eugénie Le Sommer making it 5-0 before a dozen minutes of injury-time.
Elsewhere, Prague pride featured with a double success…
There was also a 5-0 away leg success for Sparta Praha over PAOK. Irena Martinova got a treble against te Greeks, with Tia Halinen and substitute Lucie Kladrubska also on the score-sheet.
It was a double away-day success for the Prague teams with Slavia 3-1 winners in Minsk. Katerina Svitková’s opener was cancelled out on the hour mark by Tamila Khimich but Klara Cahynová and Petra Divišová scored in a si-minute spell.
Barcelona’s Lieke Martens gave them the lead over Avaldsnes in Norway, Toni Duggan, Andressa Alves and Mariona Caldentey adding one each in the last 20 minutes for a 4-0 victory.
Pernille Harder gave Wolfsburg the lead over Atletico Madrid 2 minutes into the second half, an own-goal from Silvia Mesegeur and an Ewa Pajor effort gave them a 3-0 away success.
Ajax edged Italy’s Brescia 1-0 with a late goal from Linda Bakker, despite playing with ten for an hour after a red card for Marjolijn Van Den Bighelaa.
Linkoping gained a 1-0 advantage over Apollon in Cyprus, with Kristine Minde scoring just before the hour mark for the Sweidish side.
Fiorentina were 2-0 up through Valery Vigilucci and Ilauria Mauro but Denmark’s Fortuna Hjorring replied with an important away goal from Signe Bruun.
Fiorentina trail 1-0 to Russia’s Zvezda from their home tie, after captain Linda Sembrandt conceded an own-goal.
Zurich drew 1-1 in Lithuania with Gintra, going ahead through Martina Moser before Zenatha Coleman levelled on 23 minutes.
Norway’s LSK were held to a goalless draw by Danish visitors Brondby.
In Thursday’s two ties, Olimpia Cluj lost out 1-0 at home to Rosengård for whom Ebba Wieder scored in the first half, while Stjarnan where held 1-1 by Rossiyanka as Katrin Ásbjörnsdóttir’s spot-kick was replied to by Liudmila Shadrina 3 minutes after the interval.
Pictured top – Drew Spence scores for Chelsea against Bayern Munich (Photo: Richard Claypole)
