💫 UWCL: Juve upset PSG; Arsenal run riot; Celtic make history

There are some crucial second legs of UWCL action taking place on Thursday featuring some of Europe’s biggest sides.

Here’s the lowdown.

Arsenal overturn embarrassing loss to BK Häcken with dominant display

Scorers: Wälti 23′, Caldentey 40′, Mead 49′, Maanum 79′

Arsenal are through to the UWCL group stage with a 4-0 win over BK Häcken.

Jonas Eidevall’s side came into this game with a lot to lose, as their Swedish opponents held a 1-0 advantage from the first leg.

If that was a sub-par performance, the Gunners showed their quality as Lia Wälti scored with a magnificent strike from outside the box to level the aggregate score with less than 25 minutes played.

Mariona Caldentey put Arsenal in front for the first time in this tie with her debut goal, finishing off a scrappy chance just before half-time.

Into the second half and Beth Mead followed up from her goal at the weekend against Manchester City with another vital strike, this time on the volley after an excellent piece of control.

With just over ten minutes to go, a great pull back from Caitlin Foord found Frida Maanum in the box, who curled her effort beyond the Häcken goalkeeper.

Juventus stun PSG with another win

Scorers: Cantore 2′, Bonansea 72; Leuchter (PEN) 54′

Juventus beat last year’s UWCL semi-finalists PSG with a 2-1 win on the night adding up to a 5-2 aggregate victory.

With a 3-1 lead from the first leg, Juventus couldn’t have got off to a better start after just two minutes, as Sofia Cantore turned the ball in past Mary Earps after a goalmouth scramble from a corner.

PSG striker Marie-Antoinette Katoto was making a nuisance of herself and when she was tripped in the box the home side had a penalty, the spot-kick then converted by Romée Leuchter.

A well-delivered set piece from Juventus sealed their place in the group stages, finished with a superb near post header from Barbara Bonansea.

Real Madrid through with two superb strikes

Scorers: Capeta 5′; Toletti 7′, 51′, Redondo 90+4

Real Madrid came back from 1-0 down to beat Sporting 3-1, making an aggregate win of 5-2.

Sporting struck first as Ana Capeta went sliding in at the near post with some ferocity to made sure the ball crossed the line.

Just two minutes later, Real Madrid had their reply when Caroline Weir pulled the ball back in the box for Sandie Toletti to thump home the finish.

An equally stunning strike from Toletti put Real Madrid in front and 4-2 up on aggregate early into the second half, delighting the home crowds.

Alba Redondo then added an extra for good measure for the Spanish side just before the final whistle blew.

Manchester City cruise through to group stage

Scorers: Kelly 2′, Shaw 31′, 64′ (PEN)

Manchester City are through to the next round as expected as a 3-0 win on the night over Paris was added to a 5-0 win from the first leg.

With the score from the first leg standing at 5-0, Manchester City began the second leg in exactly the same fashion as Chloe Kelly opened the scoring after just two minutes.

Kelly then turned from scorer to provider when she picked out Bunny Shaw in the box, who did exactly what she does best.

Into the second half, and Shaw fired home from the penalty spot to put Man City 3-0 up on the night and take the aggregate score to 8-0.

Celtic through as they keep Ukranian opponents scoreless

Scorers: Lawton 52′, McGregor 62′

Celtic are through to the UWCL group stage after a 2-0 home win made for a 3-0 aggregate scoreline.

The Hoops had a 1-0 advantage from the first leg, and it took them until the second half to find the net in this tie.

Emma Louise Lawton was the one to break the deadlock, heading into the the top corner from a pinpoint cross. That goal seemed to open the game up, and the home side had another just ten minutes later.

Another header – this time from Shannon McGregor – put the tie out of sight for Celtic’s Ukranian opponents.

Roma hand out another pasting of Servette in very open game

Scorers: Haavi 12′, Dragoni 14′, 55′, Giugliano 42′, Kumagai 45+1, Giacinti 62′, 90′; Saoud 23′, Marchão 59′

Roma won by a 7-2 scoreline in their second leg with Servette, making this a 10-3 aggregate win over the Swiss team.

The away side were cruising early on in this second leg, when a goal from Emilie Haavi following a defensive mix-up in the box put her side 1-0 up.

Two minutes later, it was 2-0 thanks to a lofted shot from an unmarked Giulia Dragoni in the box that put the Giallorosse 5-1 up in the tie on aggregate.

Servette responded when Imane Saoud latched on to a long ball forward and finished well from 18 yards out.

This was Roma’s night though, and they added two more goals before the half-time whistle blew.

The first was a well-hit shot from inside the box from Manuela Giugliano, the second coming in added time after Roma’s high press allowed Saki Kumagai to score.

Into the second half and Dragoni added her second, dribbling past the defender in the box to deliver the finish.

An inch-perfect curling free-kick from Joana Marchão gave Servette their second, an effort that was worth more than merely a consolation.

The game was now wide open, and Roma’s Valentina Giacinti made it 6-2 on the night with a glancing header, and added her second in the final minute of normal time.

The 16 teams who have made it through to the group stage of the competition will be drawn into four groups of four on Friday September 27th at 13:00 CET.