Only the flawless Manchester City (12), who won 2-1 at Hammarby (3), are better. On December 12th (9 p.m.) St. Pölten will be able to compete with the English runners-up for the second time, with defending champions Barcelona playing at Hammarby.
In Vienna, Francisca Nazareth (20th, 29th) and Vicky Lopez (31st) scored before the break. Former world footballer Alexia Putellas (57th) scored another goal. The final point was set by Valentina Mädl (59th) in front of a new Austrian record crowd of 8,832 fans for a women’s club.
APA/Georg Hochmuth
Self-error led to defeat
St. Pölten’s coach Liese Brancao sent her weakened team onto the field with the same personnel as before in Barcelona. The first 19 minutes went absolutely as desired for the hosts. However, due to a mistake of its own, St. Pölten found itself on the losing end earlier than in Spain.
Women’s Champions League
Schedule and tables
The trained midfielder Kamila Dubcova, who had to play as a central defender again, was the last player in the penalty area to dribble, Nazareth took the ball from her and sank it into the corner. Shortly after a missed Lopez chance, the Barca striker scored her brace, this time she was successful after a pass from Esmee Brugts.
Barca really got into the mood to play and delighted the audience with the best goal of the evening. After a short passing game, partly with his heel, Lopez made it 0:3 after an assist from Patri Guijarro. St. Pölten could have been really dangerous once, but Melike Pekel tried it alone instead of playing Mädl into the run (37th). Shortly before the break, Anna Johanning saved from the line from a shot by Caroline Graham Hansen (45th).
Anniversary goal for Putellas
Only at the break did world footballer Aitana Bonmati join the star ensemble; St. Pölten relied on fresh players with a triple substitution. Among them was Ella Touon, who was fit again and shot over in the 55th minute. Two minutes later, Putellas showed her class in the penalty area and scored after a Nazareth assist, making it her 200th goal for Barca.
Afterwards, the hosts, who were still unbeaten in the league, provided highlights. Mädl was able to push a free kick cross from Maria Mikolajova over the line at the far corner. That boosted their self-confidence significantly; they should have scored another goal. Sarah Mattner’s nerves failed her after a Touon pass from close range and she shot wide (75′).
In Group C, Bayern Munich dropped points for the first time with Sarah Zadrazil in a 1-1 draw at Valerenga. Arsenal are now only one point behind after a 1-0 win against Juventus. Manuela Zinsberger and Laura Wienroither were not used for the London team.
Champions League, Group D, third matchday
Thursday:
St. Pölten – FC Barcelona 1:4 (0:3)
Vienna, Generali Arena, 8,832 spectators, SR Grundbacher (SUI)
Torfolge:
0:1 Nazareth (20.)
0:2 Nazareth (29.)
0:3 Lopez (31.)
0:4 Whores (57.)
1:4 girls (59.)
St. Pölten: Schlüter – Schumacher (46th/Touon), Johanning (68th/Balog), Dubcova, Vracevic, D’Angelo – Pekel (46th/Krznaric), Hillebrand (46th/Mattner), Mikolajova, Brunnthaler (79th/Glibo ) – Girl
