AFCON 2025
The final places in the new-look UEFA Women’s Champions League league phase were decided tonight as nine teams booked their spots after a dramatic round of second-leg qualifiers across Europe.
Manchester United made history by reaching the competition’s main stage for the first time, overturning a first-leg deficit to beat Norway’s SK Brann 3-0 at Leigh Sports Village.
Norwegian striker Elisabeth Terland delivered a stunning “perfect” hat-trick — scoring with her left foot, right foot and a header — to send Marc Skinner’s side through 3-1 on aggregate.
Elsewhere in Spain, Atlético de Madrid produced the most thrilling comeback of the night against Häcken. Trailing on aggregate deep into stoppage time, Luany Rosa held her nerve from the penalty spot to force extra time, before Synne Jensen’s strike sealed a 3-2 aggregate triumph in front of jubilant home fans.
Real Madrid also progressed with authority, brushing aside Eintracht Frankfurt 3-0 to complete a 5-1 aggregate victory. Italy’s Roma joined them after recovering from a first-leg setback to defeat Sporting CP 2-0 and advance 3-2 overall.
Dutch champions Twente were emphatic, crushing GKS Katowice 4-1 for an 8-1 aggregate win, while Austria’s St. Pölten overcame Fortuna Hjørring 2-1 to progress 5-2.
Paris FC avoided an upset in Vienna, seeing off Austria Wien 2-0, and Belgium’s OH Leuven protected their first-leg advantage to eliminate Ukraine’s Vorskla Poltava after a goalless draw. Norway’s Vålerenga, meanwhile, eased through by beating Ferencváros 2-1 to complete a 5-1 aggregate success.
The nine winners — Manchester United, Atlético de Madrid, Real Madrid, Roma, Twente, Paris FC, St. Pölten, OH Leuven and Vålerenga — will now join the nine clubs already seeded in the 18-team league phase. The losers drop into the Women’s Europa Cup, the new second-tier continental competition.
Attention now turns to Friday’s draw in Nyon, where the 18 qualified sides will learn their schedule for the revamped league format, which mirrors the men’s competition with six matchdays of high-profile fixtures.
