The first qualifying round of the Women’s Champions League was played on Saturday. KuPS beat the Moldovan team 6–0 in the bronze match of the qualifying tournament.
Captain of the Finnish women’s national football team Tinja-Riikka Korpelan represented by Servette FC advanced from the Champions League qualifying tournament to the next stage, when it defeated the Greek PAOK 2–0 in the final of the qualifying tournament. They were responsible for the Swiss club’s goals Rimante Jonusaite and Manon Revelli.
Suomalaisvahti followed the events from the side of the bench. Korpela moved to the ranks of the Swiss club in the summer after one season spent in the ranks of Roma in Italy.
Among the Finnish clubs, the Swedish champion Hammarby, who are represented, progressed directly to the second round Anna Tamminen and Eva Nyström. Also Katariina Kosola Häcken advanced directly to the second round.
The match pairs for the second round will be drawn on Monday. The winners of the matches advance to the group stage of the Women’s Champions League.
The Women’s Champions League will follow the men’s reforms only next season, when the group stage is replaced by a new 18-team league. In addition, the women will get a new club team competition next season, which will start directly from the playoff stage. In the past, there has only been one European competition on the women’s side, the Champions League.
The teams of other Finnish players had worse luck. Ollipekka Ojalan coached by Lithuanian Gintra lost to Scottish Celtic 0–2 in the final of the qualifying tournament. Gintra played in the ranks Monica Hägström, Silja Jaatinen and Liisa Tuomi.
Celtic won the opening match of the tournament 3–1 after the continuation match of Kuopio Palloseura.
In the bronze match of the tournament on Saturday, Kuopio Palloseura crushed Moldovan league champion Agarista Anenii Noi with a clear score of 6–0. Pink Ariyo scored twice within the first ten minutes. In the second period, they were responsible for the goals Aada Nurmi, Saga Kaikkonen, Emma Santamäki and Gentjana Rochi.
The Moldovan opponent was completely lost in the match. KuPS took the scoring attempts 31–0 and controlled the ball to their heart’s content.
KuPS’ matches will continue in the National League Championship next Sunday, when the team will host Åland United.