Wolfsburg reaches Europa Cup round of 16, Frankfurt narrowly saves

In the Europa Cup VfL Wolfsburg has reached the round of 16 after missing out on a Champions League spot, as has Eintracht Frankfurt. Both women's teams thus secure a second chance on the international stage and hope for further success after intense first‑leg matches.

Wolfsburg's clear view of the round of 16

After a convincing 6‑1 first‑leg win against Sturm Graz, the second leg was practically decided for the Wolfsburg women. In Graz, Lou Bogaert scored the first goal in the 32nd minute from a free kick, skillfully pushing the ball over the wall. The team dominated the play until the final stage.

The second goal came only in the 84th minute, when the substitute Anny Kerim‑Lindland finally decided the match. This brought the first leg to a total result of 8‑1 for Wolfsburg and confirmed their dominance in the competition.

Frankfurt's narrow rescue after a deficit

Eintracht Frankfurt had to fall behind in the second leg against FH Hafnarfjördur from Iceland. After a 0‑1 halftime score, the Frankfurt women, thanks to an increased performance in the second half, finished the match 4‑1. The aggregate win compensated for the 1‑0 from the first encounter.

In the 12th minute, Nia Christopher headed the guests' score down. Just one minute after her substitution, Larissa Mühlhaus equalised in the 46th minute, before Laura Freigang turned the game in the 56th minute with a right‑footed shot. The late substitutions Hanna Bennison (62') and Hayley Raso (79') cemented the clear victory.

Both clubs missed qualification for the top tier, but received another chance in the Europa Cup. The round of 16 will be played on 28/29 October and 10/11 November, with the pairings drawn on Friday.

In the second leg, SK Sturm Graz failed again, even though they had lost the first leg 1‑6 and conceded only 0‑2 in Graz. Goalkeeper Vanessa Gritzner had no chance, and a goal scored by Marie Spieß in the 53rd minute was disallowed for offside. The aggregate score of 1‑8 confirmed their elimination.

SKN St. Pölten had to succumb in Malmö with a 0‑3 defeat, after Laurent Fassotte had emphasized before the match that an early goal would boost confidence. Ellen Löfqvist scored already in the eighth minute, Tuva Skoog added in the 28th minute and Isabella D’Aquila sealed the result in the 58th minute. The aggregate score of 0‑5 sent the Austrian women out of the competition.

In front of 1,649 spectators at the Graz Liebenau stadium, English referee Emily Heaslip officiated the match. In the line‑up for Wolfsburg were, among others, Johannes, Bjelde and Smilla Vallotto, while Sturm Graz started with Gritzner in goal and Marie Spieß in attack. No yellow cards were shown, except one for Minge.