Paris FC achieved a feat by eliminating double European champions Wolfsburg and reigning finalists, thanks to their victory in Germany (2-0) in the return match of the Women’s C1 play-offs on Wednesday.
The Parisiennes, co-leader of the French championship with four victories in four matches, conceded a draw at the Charléty stadium (3-3) last week in the first leg, but sought qualification for the group stage, to their first participation in the event, playing this decisive match without complexes and with great talent.
Second achievement after Arsenal
They attacked the match like their smooth start to the season (4 wins in 4 matches in the league) and their two successful qualifying rounds, during which they crushed Kryvbas (4-0) and achieved the feat – already – by eliminating the semi-finalist of the last Champions League, Arsenal (3-3, 4 tab to 2).
Dominant and pressing, the French quickly showed their intentions, first through a very restless Bourdieu whose curling shot was well repelled by the German goalkeeper (6th).
In the process, Sandrine Soubeyrand’s players obtained a penalty, due to a hand fault from the very experienced Alexandra Popp, who returned to defend. But captain Gaëtane Thiney, 37, saw her attempt well repelled by goalkeeper Schmitz (11th).
Two missed penalties
During the first act, the Germans came up against a well-placed Parisian block, but were nevertheless close to opening the score against the run of play, on a header from Eva Pajor, which hit the post and allowed the Parisian goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie to narrowly grab the ball in two stages (22nd).
And it is quite logical that the Parisiennes scored first before the break: Julie Dufour, receiving a cross from Mateo coming from the right at the far post, did her best to deceive Schmitz from the left (38th), confirming a great start to the season with a fifth goal in the Champions League, his sixth in all competitions. Unrecognizable, the double European champions, and six times finalists of the competition, even missed the opportunity to equalize for the first time from the penalty spot.
Nnadozie, who had already distinguished herself at the World Cup with Nigeria and during the penalty shootout against Arsenal, brilliantly intervened against the Dutch Janssen (61st).
Paris FC joins OL
And in a more disjointed end to the match, where the Germans could have pulled the score back several times, notably through Pajor (78th), it was the Parisians who managed to score the break goal, after a perfectly counterattack. concluded by Louise Fleury (90th).
The long scenes of collective joy at the final whistle summed up the importance of the feat achieved by Thiney and her teammates: six years after the club’s merger with FCF Juvisy, they will enter the next group stage for the first time. of the Champions League, where they will join Lyon.