LEUVEN, Belgium (AP) — Defending champion Arsenal took a big step toward the Women’s Champions League quarterfinals by routing OH Leuven 4-0 in the first leg of their knockout playoff round on Wednesday.
After the victory in the inaugural Women’s Champions Cup on Feb 1, Arsenal dominated from the start in Belgium to close in on a quarterfinal meeting against London rival Chelsea.
Frida Maanum led the visitors with two goals, and Olivia Smith showed she was worth the record transfer fee Arsenal paid Liverpool for her in July. Also, Kim Little came on as substitute to play her 400th game for Arsenal.
Maanum headed in the opener after meeting a cross by Caitlin Foord from the right in the 22nd minute.
Smith doubled the advantage a quarter of an hour later with a clinical finish as the Canada forward found the far corner of the net with a first-time low shot. Maanum was left unmarked in the box to add her second, with Foord setting her up again early in the second half before substitute Alessia Russo completed the rout with her fifth of the campaign.
The revamped Women’s Champions League format has followed the men’s competition with an opening league phase of six rounds instead of eight.
The top four in the standings — Barcelona, Lyon, Chelsea and Bayern — advanced directly to the quarterfinals. Teams placed fifth to 12th went to the playoffs round.
Arsenal finished the league phase in fifth while Leuven was 12th in its first campaign in the European top competition.
The two met in the 18-team league phase with Arsenal beating Leuven 3-0 away.
Real’s comeback
Real Madrid remains on course for an all-Spanish quarterfinal against three-time champion Barcelona after coming from a goal down to win 3-2 at Paris FC.
After going behind in the 10th minute, Madrid needed just six minutes to turn the game around before halftime in the French capital.
Caroline Weir equalized on a rebound from close range in the 39th and Athenea’s low shot finished off a fast counter in the last minute of the first half to put the visitors ahead.
The 20-year-old forward Linda Caicedo controlled goalkeeper Misa Rodríguez’s long pass before before making it 3-1 in the 83rd before Maeline Mendy pulled a goal back in the 89th to narrow the deficit ahead of the second leg.
Paris had taken the lead through Kaja Korošec, who was at the far corner to volley the opener into the roof of the net off a corner kick from Maelle Garbino.
To come
The remaining two playoffs, Wolfsburg vs. Juventus and Atletico Madrid vs. Manchester United are scheduled for Thursday.
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