Of all semifinal entrants in women’s UEFA Champions League, title holders VfL Wolfsburg had the hardest time. They had ended the first leg against FC Rosengard at 1-1 and needed to win their second leg match or at least draw it. In the end, the Germans came from behind to manage a 3-3 draw for an aggregate score of 4-4 and scraped through with the away-goal advantage. They will meet Paris Saint-Germain in the semifinal. PSG had an easier passage as they defeated Glasgow City 5-0 and having finished with a 7-0 aggregate. Denmark’s Brondby IF ended their eight-season wait to take the third semifinal spot despite the 1-1 draw with Swedish Club Linkopings FC since their 1-0 first leg victory worked for them. But the finishing touch was provided by a massive victory by 1. FFC Frankfurt, who steamrolled Bristol Academy WFC 7-0 and with 5-0 first leg win, their aggregate zoomed to 12-0. Frankfurt also equaled the record of Umea IK, who reached the semifinals on seven occasions. In the second semifinal, Frankfurt will take on Brondby IF.
In the Swedish city of Malmo, a sell-out crowd of 6000 watched the decider between home outfit FC Rosengard and VfL Wolfsburg. After the first leg ended 1-1, home supporters backed their club to the hilt. But stakes were higher for the Germans, who have been Champions League title holders for the last two years. 4 minutes from the start, Alexandra Popp found a chance with a header to put Wolfsburg in the lead. However, Rosengard’s mercurial Brazilian forward Marta leveled the score in the 24th minute. Wolfsburg were soon in trouble, when Anja Mittag struck a goal in the 42nd minute. The teams went for the break with Rosengard holding a 2-1 advantage. 15 minutes after halftime, Wolfsburg equalized through Babett Peter and shortly afterwards, Popp got her second goal of the match to make it 3-2 for her team. But Rosengard refused to yield and found the equalizer in injury time through Ramona Bachmann, who scored from close range. Rosengard got close to scoring but couldn’t convert the last-minute corner. The 4-4 aggregate saw Wolfsburg through on away goal advantage.
Playing at home, Paris Saint-Germain dominated the visitors from Glasgow in a 5-0 victory. Ironically, the first of those five goals came from an own goal in 26th minute, when Glasgow midfielder Suzanne Lappin turned a PSG corner into her own net. Though no more goals could be scored until the halftime, PSG doubled their lead in 54th minute, when Marie-Laure Delie converted a low center sent to her by captain Sabrina Delannoy. In 65th minute PSG earned a a penalty and Sabrina Delannoy made no mistake with the spot-kick. Delie scored again in 68th minute to make it 4-0 for PSG and towards the close, PSG earned another penalty, from which Kenza Dali completed the 5-0 win. With 2-0 first leg advantage, PSG sailed through with an aggregate of 7-0.
Brondby IF rode on their 1-0 first leg win as they met Linkoping FC at home. In the sixth minute, Brondby earned a corner and Nanna Christiansen’s looping ball was headed in by Emma Madsen. It was a great beginning for Brondby as they doubled their aggregate advantage. Linkoping made several attempts on Brondby’s goal but goalkeeper Katrine Abel made some inspired saves. In 44th minute, however, Denmark’s international footballer Mariann Knudsen found an opportunity and equalized. The teams went to halftime at 1-1. After the break, both teams tried their best but no goals could be scored. The match finally ended at 1-1 and by virtue of their 1-0 first leg victory, Brondby entered the semifinals on 2-1 aggregate score.
Against Bristol Academy WFC, 1.FFC Frankfurt showered goal after goal in the second leg quarterfinal and ended the match 7-0 and with a 5-0 win in England last week made it to a whopping aggregate of 12-0. They goal spree began in the 8th minute, Kerstin Garefrekes squared a ball for Kozue Ando, who flicked into an empty net. Frankfurt kept steamrolling in a nearly one-sided encounter and made some extremely pleasing moves. In 38th minute Dzsenifer Marozsan made it 2-0 for Frankfurt. This remained the score until the halftime. When the teams came back, Frankfurt continued their dominance as Mandy Islacker made it 3-0 in 58th minute as she fired from close range after receiving a smart flick from Peggy Kuznik. Then Mandy scored again from an opportunity provided by a Bristol defender as she pounced on the rebound. Shortly afterwards, Mandy completed her hat-trick from another rebound opportunity. Substitute Laura Störzel made it 6-0, when she headed a free-kick taken by Marozsan. In injury time, Frankfurt earned a penalty, which was converted by the 17-year-old academy product Jana Lober.
The two-legged semifinal matches will be played on April 18/19 and 25/26, 2015, when Wolfsburg play Paris and Frankfurt take on Brondby before the two winners reach Berlin for the grand finale on May 14, 2015.
