UWCL talking points: PSG, Ajax through due to own goals

The 2023-24 Women’s Champions League group stage is over and eight groups are through to the quarterfinals.

Barcelona had been already through from Group A and had an exciting 4-4 draw with second-placed Benfica, whereas Eintracht Frankfurt thrashed Rosengård 5-0.

Eight-time winners Lyon had been additionally through in Group B and rounded issues off with 2-2 draw in opposition to Slavia Prague, with fellow qualifiers SK Brann ending with a 2-1 win in opposition to St. Pölten.

Group C was the place the actual pleasure lay, as Paris Saint-Germain took prime spot with a late own purpose in opposition to Bayern Munich to salvage a 2-2 draw and knock out the Germans, whereas Ajax bagged second place with a late 2-1 win over Roma.

Chelsea had already sealed first in Group D, however travelled to Paris FC to thrash them 4-0, and Swedish shock bundle BK Häcken sealed the opposite qualification spot with a powerful 1-0 win in opposition to Real Madrid.

We requested our writers Sophie Lawson, Sam Marsden and Connor O’Halloran to reply a few of our burning questions.

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Final group-stage standings:

Group A: 1. Barcelona, 2. Benfica, 3. Eintracht Frankfurt, 4. Rosengård
Group B: 1. Lyon, 2. SK Brann, 3. Slavia Prague, 4. St. Pölten
Group C: 1. Paris Saint-Germain, 2. Ajax, 3. Bayern Munich, 4. Roma
Group D: 1. Chelsea, 2. BK Häcken, 3. Paris FC, 4. Real Madrid

*The knockout draw shall be made on Feb. 6 — the 4 group winners are seeded and drawn in opposition to the 4 group runners-up, however groups cannot meet a group from their earlier group.

1. What stood out for you on the ultimate matchday?

O’Halloran: A lesson: drama usually arrives by way of the surprising. All eyes had been on Group C heading into this closing spherical, the place all 4 groups nonetheless had a hope of going through, and the motion towards the top was astounding. But it was two own goals that reshaped closing image of the group. Ajax went forward on 87 minutes through a Zara Kramzar own purpose, and PSG levelled their sport quickly after when Bayern’s Georgia Stanway was caught flat-footed and noticed a shot deflect off her leg and into the purpose, sinking her aspect’s knockout stage hopes. No one anticipated that.

An honorable point out too for Benfica, who had been dealt a 5-0 away defeat to Barcelona of their first fixture of this group stage however ended it with a gutsy 4-4 draw in opposition to the Spanish giants and a spot within the subsequent spherical.

Lawson: The superb unpredictability of soccer. Tuesday was all about these previous few spots being claimed and absolutely the pandemonium in Group C was an actual head-spinner. First Roma had been going through, then Bayern, then lastly Ajax; the late own goals that sealed the fates of Roma and Bayern will go away bitter tastes.

That group was the one which left everybody guessing proper till the final on Tuesday, however few might have foreseen the goal-fest incoming the next night time. With 23 successive wins, not to point out a wholly one-sided Champions League historical past in opposition to Benfica, nobody was anticipating Barcelona to want a last-gasp equaliser in an eight-goal thriller in Group A. Likewise, given their disappointment within the competitors this season, few might have foreseen Slavia’s Group B attract Lyon.

Marsden: As nicely detailed above, the drama in Group C didn’t disappoint. Bayern and Ajax, the underside two heading into the week, each led at one stage, just for PSG and Ajax to combat again. PSG had been heading out till that 88th minute own purpose, which might have been a serious shock. Bayern going out can also be a shock.

But I needed to give attention to Barça and Lyon. It was in all probability simply them each barely taking their foot off the fuel — whereas Barça had been with none central defenders and had their third-choice goalkeeper enjoying — after profitable their teams, however they each unexpectedly dropped factors.

Barça conceded 4 occasions in an unimaginable 4-4 draw with Benfica, with Lucy Bronze scoring an own purpose after which a dramatic 96th-minute equaliser in Lisbon to save the Blaugrana‘s unbeaten document. Benfica will take enormous confidence from that outcome within the subsequent stage. Lyon, in the meantime, drew 2-2 in opposition to already eradicated Slavia Prague, having already been held by Brann. It might be nothing, however it can give the opposite six groups hope that these two behemoths do have some weak factors in any case.

2. What is the round-of-16 tie you most need to see?

Lawson: This is often the place/when the Champions League falls into the predictable; final season, all 4 group winners made it through to the semifinals. There is sense for the group winners to be rewarded with ties in opposition to runners-up, however it could possibly so usually imply the top of the street for the underdog. This season, it is clear it is going to take one other pair of Herculean performances for these second-placed groups no matter who they draw, and that is the place strain and inexperience begins to inform.

Based on what they’ve proven to date this season, the 2 ties that will have probably the most likelihood of an upset could be Lyon vs. Ajax and PSG vs. Häcken. Lyon, regardless of their dominance of their video games, have not at all times checked out their sharpest and Ajax’s high-risk/reward model would possibly throw up a shock, particularly of their house leg. Likewise, PSG have not had one of the best season by their own requirements, and though they’ve improved over the previous few months, Häcken might frustrate them.

Marsden: The gulf between the group winners and the runners-up feels fairly large. Looking on the runners-up, who’s most able to an upset? Perhaps Ajax, having already knocked out Bayern and Roma. PSG appear probably the most susceptible of the group winners, however Ajax cannot draw them as they had been each in the identical group. Following that course of leads me to Ajax vs. Chelsea because the tie which might probably present a shock. Alternatively, Häcken and Benfica will in all probability fancy a shot at PSG. I do assume all of the group winners will get through, although. But Barça, Lyon, PSG and Chelsea ought to present us with some mouth-watering semifinals.

O’Halloran: There is not a transparent headline-grabbing matchup, with an actual distinction in high quality between the group winners and runners-up, so let’s reverse-engineer this course of. If that gulf at school produces a shock outcome, what could be the most important upset be? Häcken shocked their means to a runners-up end in Group D, so perhaps they may proceed that storyline and upset Lyon or Barcelona?

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3. Who is your group stage MVP and why?

Marsden: I needed to honour among the shock packages, notably Häcken and Ajax, however let’s be sincere, Caroline Graham Hansen has been head and shoulders above everybody else within the girls’s sport this season — and never simply within the Champions League. Perhaps she is exacting some form of revenge for bizarrely being forgotten each time the person awards come round. She scored two and made one other in opposition to Benfica to make it 9 purpose contributions within the group stage. That goes with the 12 goals and 10 assists she already has in Liga F. It’s been a really exceptional marketing campaign for the Norway winger to date.

O’Halloran: With 4 goals and a tournament-leading 5 assists, Graham Hansen could nicely deserve this crown. She netted twice in opposition to Benfica on Wednesday, however there isn’t any recency bias right here. Earlier within the competitors, her strike in opposition to Frankfurt from the sting of the field was very good and her excellent ball management and attacking instincts sum up a lot of what Barcelona do nicely. She is an X-factor for a aspect that has very actual hopes of defending their European title.

Lawson: Since the others have gone all-in on Graham Hansen, I’ll go rogue and provides an MVP for every of the opposite teams.

In Group B, 18-year-old Signe Gaupset has been a difference-maker for Brann of their maiden Champions League marketing campaign. She has persistently impressed in a extra attacking function and was title Player of the Match 3 times. Group C MVP is Ajax’s Lily Yohannes. Still simply 16, Yohannes shows an actual calm maturity on the ball has routinely been on the centre of the motion of Ajax as they’ve delighted and stunned over the group stage. I’ll additionally give a particular point out for Romée Leuchter, who has proven flashes of brilliance for the Dutch aspect

In Group D, a far cry from the teenage starlets who’ve used the group stage to make a reputation for themselves, is 38-year-old midfielder/defender Aivi Luik. Whilst Häcken have made a splash within the group and Rosa Kafaji has rightly obtained plaudits for her attacking enter, the Swedish aspect have relied of their defence. Save for a 3-1 loss to Chelsea, they allowed simply two goals throughout their different 5 video games (the joint-lowest GA shared with Barcelona, Lyon and Chelsea.) And for her half in shielding Jennifer Falk’s purpose, the Australian stalwart has been important.