UWCL talking points: Sam Kerr stars, Häcken stun Real Madrid

Matchday Two of the 2023-24 Women’s Champions League group stage is over and but once more the underdogs confirmed they imply enterprise this season.

Swedish facet BK Häcken and Norway’s SK Brann each made it two wins from two having been unfancied. Häcken’s win got here at dwelling to Real Madrid, who had scored first and have now picked up only one level from their opening two fixtures. Brann received the higher of Slavia Prague 1-0. Barcelona, although, made no mistake in coming from behind to beat Eintracht Frankfurt 3-1.

For the second gameweek working, each Parisian golf equipment have been overwhelmed, as Paris Saint-Germain misplaced 1-0 to Bayern Munich and Paris FC have been thrashed 4-1 at Chelsea, with Sam Kerr scoring a hat trick.

Elsewhere, Lyon beat St. Pölten 2-0 and Benfica claimed a 1-0 win over Rosengard on Wednesday. And then on Thursday, Roma soundly beat Ajax Amsterdam 3-0.

We requested our writers Sophie Lawson, Sam Marsden and Tom Hamilton to reply a few of our burning questions.

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1. Which workforce are already in hassle?

Sam Marsden: It’s apparent, but it surely’s laborious to look additional than Paris Saint-Germain. The French facet have made 5 consecutive quarterfinals — reaching the semifinals in three of these years — however have zero factors after two matches. That stated, I would not rule them out but.

With back-to-back video games to come back in opposition to Roma, they might nonetheless haul themselves again into competition to get out of a particularly aggressive group. Roma as soon as once more confirmed their high quality with a cushty win over Ajax on Thursday, however with a squad stuffed with expertise, PSG ought to nonetheless again themselves to beat the Italians — if they’re at their greatest.

Tom Hamilton: Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain are each in hassle. Real Madrid have been fortunate to attract at dwelling with Chelsea final time round, and suffered a shock 2-1 defeat at BK Häcken on Thursday. They had loads of first-half probabilities by Signe Bruun however though she opened the scoring early on, she had two different nice alternatives to stretch their benefit. With a double-header in opposition to wounded Paris FC and a visit to Chelsea to come back, they’re in hassle.

Bayern Munich drew with Roma final trip, and traveled to PSG who have been smarting from their opening spherical 2-0 loss at Ajax. PSG would have hoped to get issues again on monitor in opposition to Bayern, however as an alternative fell to a 1-0 defeat, leaving them pointless after two matches. PSG appeared troubled early on, as a wayward defensive header was solely held out by a scrambling-back Katarzyna Kiedrzynek, whereas Klara Bühl had a shot well-saved. Magdalena Eriksson received the winner for Bayern after 21 minutes with a close-range end however PSG solely had a sequence of half-chances, with Maria Luisa Grohs producing an honest save from Tabitha Chawinga within the second half. It’s wanting ominous for the Parisians.

Sophie Lawson: Two video games in and 5 of the 16 groups have but to select up some extent. Given the teams, maybe it is not such a shock to see Rosengard propping up Group A, or St. Pölten but to have factors on the board. But Paris Saint-Germain languishing with no level in Group C cannot be ignored.

The loss to Ajax final week was the shock of the spherical and on Thursday night time, at dwelling to Bayern Munich, they have been underwhelming and misplaced once more, 1-0. It wasn’t all unhealthy from PSG however they have been flat in assault with an actual disconnect between the entrance line and the midfield. After dropping in Amsterdam, a response was important and it merely wasn’t forthcoming.

Likewise, after such a sorry exhibiting within the league in opposition to Barcelona final weekend, the place Real Madrid have been thrashed 5-0, a response was anticipated in opposition to BK Häcken. But Las Blancas have been second greatest and misplaced 2-1, regardless of taking the lead early within the sport. Poor shows from the Liga F runners-up can occur, in Europe or in Spain, however with such lavish assets they should not be struggling in opposition to the Swedish membership which have a lot much less expertise on the most important stage.

2. Nobody gave Häcken a hope in a troublesome Group D. Are they the most important shock up to now?

Hamilton: It was a historic night time in Gothenburg, as Häcken received their first-ever dwelling Champions League group stage win. Both objectives have been splendidly labored with Rosa Kafaji timing her run to perfection to hammer dwelling the equaliser within the 59th minute, after which Katarina Kosola discovering the highest nook from the sting of the field for the winner after 76 minutes. The scenes at full-time because the bench ran on to the pitch to hug their shocked and exhilarated teammates confirmed how a lot it meant. They’re now two from two off the again of their win in opposition to Paris FC and can fancy their probabilities of making the ultimate eight.

But when judging the most important upset, remember Paris FC’s function within the qualifiers as they knocked out each Arsenal and Wolfsburg, two groups with far greater budgets and European pedigree. They received previous Arsenal on penalties, however their two-legged overcome Wolfsburg was right down to good administration and persistence.

Eintracht Frankfurt threatened the upset of the event on Wednesday as they held a 1-0 lead in opposition to Barcelona heading into the break, solely to lose 3-1, whereas SK Brann’s kind might shock a couple of with back-to-back 1-0 wins.

Ajax received their first Champions League group stage win final week in opposition to PSG however they have been knocking on the door for some time. So for me, Paris FC’s two wins over Arsenal and Wolfsburg are nonetheless essentially the most eye-catching outcomes up to now.

Lawson: Häcken’s potential to roll with the punches and present a few of their greatest soccer has been such a welcome shock. This is a workforce who misplaced their coach, Robert Vilahamn, over the summer time and needed to adapt to his substitute, Mak Lind. They misplaced out on the Swedish title to Hammarby this month on objective distinction, however there’s been no hanging of heads.

It helps that Häcken boast one of many extra thrilling younger attackers in Sweden in 20-year-old Kafaji, however their two wins up to now have been workforce efforts; it is a workforce of battlers. What’s was spectacular of their win over Real Madrid was how positively their performed at dwelling. Even after going a objective down, there was no concern or holding again. In European soccer, traditionally not a cheerful looking floor of Häcken, together with of their earlier outings once they have been often called Kopparbergs/Göteborg, it is easy for groups to play conservatively, however Lind appears to consider in his gamers’ skills. That calm and confidence has been the most important shock.

SK Brann’s two wins from two can also be nicely worthy of reward. Similarly, they’d a change of supervisor earlier within the season (bringing in Martin Ho from Manchester United after Olli Harder left) and did not completed a distant fourth within the 2023 Toppserien. But the Norwegians have performed well in each outings (in opposition to St. Pölten and Slavia Prague), though they needed to dig in and experience their luck, however their maturity of their debut season has been refreshing.

Marsden: With everybody taking a look at Chelsea and Real Madrid, BK Häcken have snuck to the highest of the group after two video games. Even Paris FC, after gorgeous Arsenal and Wolfsburg in qualifying, have been extra fancied going into the event.

Striker Kafaji was good in Häcken’s win over Madrid, scoring for the third consecutive sport, and they have themselves into a terrific place going into their double-header with Chelsea in December. Brann, additionally with two wins from two, have made an attention grabbing begin too. It’s good to see the Scandinavian sides doing nicely given their historic success within the ladies’s sport earlier than different golf equipment began pouring cash into it.

3. Which participant has exceeded expectations?

Lawson: Of the 176 starters throughout the eight video games it is laborious to comply with every particular person and critique all of their inputs, however listed here are three gamers who aren’t prone to seize the headlines however who all impressed.

While but to maintain a clear sheet, 20-year-old goalkeeper Angel Mukasa has nonetheless managed to excel for Rosengard. Against Benfica on Wednesday, she got here up with some huge saves and appeared to organise her backline nicely regardless of being below heavy strain. It’s been a forgettable season for the previous Swedish champions, who ended up ending the season in seventh place and their Champions League group is very unforgiving. Mukasa is a goalkeeper who has been labored however nonetheless impressed.

Jackie Groenen deserves numerous reward for her industrious work in Paris. The hero over the weekend along with her stoppage-time winner in opposition to Fleury, an actual stunner from Netherlands worldwide, Groenen was on the coronary heart of a lot of PSG’s higher attacking play while patrolling midfield to snuff out Bayern’s assaults. For how nicely she’s enjoying and the way key she is, if there’s any participant PSG would wish to stick within the cloning machine, it is Groenen.

Roma are a pleasure to observe and it is easy sufficient to select any of the Giallorosse, however Emilie Haavi has been glorious since transferring to the Italian membership from LSK Kvinner two years in the past. For pretty much as good as Haavi is in Serie A, her consistency and work charge when Roma are in European competitors is all the time worthy of reward. And on the Tre Fontante on Thursday night time, she once more put in a breathless efficiency, working the channel all night time in opposition to Ajax and bagging an help for Manuela Giugliano’s memorable volley. It’s a minimum of you’d count on of the 31-year-old.

Marsden: They might have misplaced to Barcelona, however Eintracht Frankfurt gave the holders a scare within the first half, with Laura Freigang the decide of their gamers. She scored the objective that gave the German facet a shock lead on the break and threatened each time they countered. Frankfurt misplaced their form within the second interval and have been well-beaten ultimately, however, led by Freigang, they are going to really feel assured of beating Benfica and Rosengard to second place within the group.

One of Barça’s comeback objectives, in the meantime, was scored by Mariona Caldentey. It’s laborious to say she’s exceeding expectations given she has now scored in eight consecutive Champions League campaigns, however there’s more and more a sense her brilliance is underestimated exterior of Barça.

Hamilton: If you are on the lookout for a second the place a person saved their workforce, then look no additional than the exceptional double save Benfica keeper Lena Pauels pulled off within the closing phases of their win over Rosengard. It was within the 82nd minute of the match as Rosengard pushed for an equaliser. A cross discovered Mai Kadowaki in loads of house on the again put up, however Pauels managed to tug off an excellent response cease after which blocked the follow-up from Bea Sprung. It stored Rosengard at bay and secured the three factors for Benfica.

Elsewhere, there was an excellent goalkeeping efficiency from Aurora Mikalsen for Brann as she managed to maintain out Slavia Prague for his or her 1-0 win. Daniëlle van de Donk was magnificent for Lyon in a formidable midfield trio alongside Damaris Egurrola and Lindsey Horan within the 2-0 victory over St. Pölten, however their standout participant was left-back Selma Bacha.

But, and bear with me right here, in the event you’re on the lookout for somebody who pleasantly stunned, then Sam Kerr’s hat trick in opposition to Paris FC was really exceptional. Is the Australia worldwide exceeding expectations? Well, strictly talking no, as a result of she’s among the finest gamers on the earth, however issue in the summertime she had the place she wore the load of a rustic’s expectations within the World Cup, needed to battle by harm and continues to be placing in match-winning performances having barely had an opportunity to breathe.

The schedule is cruel for Chelsea as they proceed to chase 4 trophies, however Kerr’s treble was excellent. The first two noticed her striker’s intuition repay as she darted in to knock dwelling good crosses from Lauren James after which Johanna Kaneryd whereas her third was a trademark audacious Kerr lob from exterior the field which had Chiamaka Nnadozie scrambling. Each a terrific objective in their very own proper which introduced up her eighth hat trick in Chelsea colors.

And what makes it much more exceptional? Post-match Emma Hayes revealed Kerr continues to be managing an harm. “If that’s her at 80%, I can’t wait for the 100%,” Hayes stated. “She’s so incisive with her movement. The third goal when she lobbed it was brilliant centre-forward play. I don’t know anyone who puts the ball away like she does.”