Women's Champions League qualifying: Leuven progress in shootout as Austrian duo triumph

[p]Trying to make the league phase for the second season running, Belgium's [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/leuven/I9I2jkpo/"]OH Leuven[/a] needed penalties to get past [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/fenerbahce/M3EW14Hc/"]Fenerbahce[/a] [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/fenerbahce-M3EW14Hc/leuven-I9I2jkpo/?mid=nDyO2Hf4"]following a 1-1 draw[/a].[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/plummer-konya/t2Bbb7wR/"]Konya Plummer[/a] put the visitors in front less than 10 minutes in at Den Dreef as the Turkish champions looked to become their country's second participants in the group phase.[/p][p]Leuven, who made it as far as the knockout round playoffs in 2025/26, failed to register a shot in the first half as they were given all they could handle at home. However, they eventually tied things up after [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/conijnenberg-jada/v9CJqO2L/"]Jada Conijnenberg[/a] converted her opportunity.[/p][p]It ultimately went the distance, where the Belgians held their nerve to win 4-2 in the shootout and progress to the final round of qualifying.[/p][embed guid="8dc53b07-d82d-4d7c-a89c-31d2644d41cb" url="https://x.com/kadinfutbolfb/status/2086190948967452717?s=20" social-type="twitter" /][p]One of the stories of the Women's Champions League qualifying this term are [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/czarni-sosnowiec/vZW7dIj3/"]Czarni Sosnowiec[/a], who defeated [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/myjava/zBXjSpq9/"]Spartak Myjava[/a] [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/czarni-sosnowiec-vZW7dIj3/myjava-zBXjSpq9/?mid=0Kq2XSae"]4-2[/a] in their mini-tournament final in Cyprus.[/p][p]The Polish side led in the first few moments of the match, only to find themselves behind 11 minutes later. Participating in Europe for just the second time, Czarni drew level not long after from the spot.[/p][p]They retook the lead by half-time, adding a fourth near the end to become the first side in this current format to make the third qualifying round from the opening round.[/p][p]Myjava, also participants in the first round in July, had finished fourth in their mini-tournament at this stage last term.[/p][p]Also moving on are [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/austria-vienna/21HejI2E/"]Austria Wien[/a] as they took down [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/farul-constanta/lj64aQgh/"]Farul Constanta[/a] [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/austria-vienna-21HejI2E/farul-constanta-lj64aQgh/?mid=4dEkL7yq"]5-0[/a]. [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/uka-modesta/rqD7uyvc/"]Modesta Uka[/a] scored twice for the Austrians in a match they dominated, having registered 32 shots.[/p][embed guid="c8a87a2c-f598-48c4-bb68-f7bb7e93e17e" url="https://x.com/FKAustriaWien/status/2086148619875373562?s=20" social-type="twitter" /][p]It is the second successive campaign that Austria Wien have successfully negotiated the second qualifying round mini-tournament.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/psv/hUGpYn1P/"]PSV Eindhoven[/a] are one step closer to the league phase thanks to their [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/hjk-zBegqVIh/psv-hUGpYn1P/?mid=KnL5HPz8"]3-1 defeat[/a] of [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/hjk/zBegqVIh/"]HJK Helsinki[/a], making it their best-ever performance in a UWCL season.[/p][p]Former group phase participants [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/brann/G23EI9Ep/"]Brann[/a] ended up being in quite the battle versus [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/paok/GOQVSmsh/"]PAOK[/a]. The Norwegians did just enough to advance, as Nea Lehtola's stoppage time goal put the game out of reach.[/p][p]While the Greeks did score a penalty after that, Brann [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/brann-G23EI9Ep/paok-GOQVSmsh/?mid=SATjA4ZH"]won 3-2[/a].[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/koge/QTzsW9AK/"]Koge[/a] came from a goal down to beat [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/hearts/Kb9LqyRT/"]Hearts[/a] [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/hearts-Kb9LqyRT/koge-QTzsW9AK/?mid=bc6aw7cR"]2-1 to win their mini-tournament at home[/a]. On Friday, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/servette/SEksXw9A/"]Servette[/a] [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/aktobe-r5Ba8NAc/servette-geneve-fc-SEksXw9A/?mid=YTJyaaxS"]completed a convincing 4-0 victory[/a] at the expense of home side [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/aktobe/r5Ba8NAc/"]Aktobe[/a] to move on.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/breidablik/dbKz5pko/"]Breidablik[/a] opened the action [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/breidablik-dbKz5pko/din-minsk-tfhrP0g3/?mid=Ua57gw0k"]with a nervy 3-2 success[/a] against [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/din-minsk/tfhrP0g3/"]Dinamo Minsk[/a] in Friday's third place match. The Icelandic team, quarter-finalists in the UEFA Women's Europa Cup last term, needed extra time to get past the Belarusians and return to the UWEC.[/p][p]Other sides to finish third in their mini-tournaments and qualify for the Women's Europa Cup were [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/fc-kharkiv/6BquebVr/"]FC Kharkiv[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/hajduk-split/rLgQnAI7/"]Hajduk Split[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/apollon-limassol/CEllX6Bi/"]Apollon Limassol[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/gintra-universitetas/OOzRYkH3/"]Gintra[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/sfk-2000-sarajevo/U1yNZV1c/"]SFK Sarajevo[/a], and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/mitrovica/vPgyKdYP/"]Mitrovica[/a]. [/p][h2]St. Polten edge Sporting in shootout[/h2][p]In the league path, Austria's other side in UWCL qualifying, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/st-polten/461PX391/"]St. Polten[/a], took one big step to qualifying for a fifth straight group stage/league phase [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/sporting-jBZykU7D/st-polten-461PX391/?mid=bRsw2VIU"]thanks to their penalty shootout win[/a] against Sporting CP.[/p][p]Neither club could find the back of the net in normal time before [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/vago-fanni/61YfSuV4/"]Fanni Vago[/a] put the hosts ahead four minutes into extra time.[/p][p]Sporting, who passed this stage two years ago, drew level with nine minutes left to force spot kicks. However, the Portuguese runner ups faltered on their last two, with St. Polten scoring all four of theirs to win 4-1.[/p][embed guid="cc4c430d-fbcc-4f0a-8ef6-840242eed429" url="https://x.com/UWCL/status/2086215325389852960?s=20" social-type="twitter" /][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/juventus/vNUKeXyQ/"]Juventus[/a] needed extra time to get past [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/hammarby/x8hzI4Id/"]Hammarby[/a] [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/hammarby-x8hzI4Id/juventus-vNUKeXyQ/?mid=dr1OqckI"]3-1 in their game[/a]. Coming off a Women's Europa Cup final showing last May, the Swedes led at the half hour mark, only to concede 10 minutes later.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/chiba-remina/SvqDw2u2/"]Remina Chiba[/a] played hero in extra time for Juve, scoring twice in the first 15-minute period as the [i]Bianconere [/i]pulled through to join fellow Italian side [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/inter/xQttQvNr/"]Inter Milan[/a] in the next stage.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/eintracht-frankfurt/C6sxeOzB/"]Eintracht Frankfurt[/a] defeated [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/malmo-ff/txwk2GR8/"]Malmo[/a] [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/eintracht-frankfurt-C6sxeOzB/malmo-ff-txwk2GR8/?mid=Iw3tUpzK"]2-0[/a] as [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/freigang-laura/zJLrpJ08/"]Laura Freigang[/a] netted in both halves for the competition's four-time winners, who are looking to qualify for the group phase for the second time.[/p][embed guid="78415d1d-d0fa-4d2b-8e75-ec7893387aed" url="https://x.com/EintrachtFrauen/status/2086164081933713747?s=20" social-type="twitter" /][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/ajax/thfc1rO7/"]Ajax[/a] made it through to the last qualifying round [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/ajax-thfc1rO7/rangers-SAiodgGe/?mid=KKQwnmWo"]in a narrow 2-1 win[/a] at [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/rangers/SAiodgGe/"]Rangers[/a]. [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/spitse-sherida/GK9aq7eJ/"]Sherida Spitse[/a] converted a penalty at the beginning of stoppage time to send the Dutch team through.[/p][p]The third place game in that mini-tournament saw two-time group stage participants [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/slavia-prague/Qwd4jsB7/"]Slavia Praha[/a] fall 5-3 on penalties versus [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/brondby/46UZY3Rb/"]Brondby[/a] [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/brondby-46UZY3Rb/slavia-prague-Qwd4jsB7/?mid=zBXgr5VA"]after a 1-1 draw[/a].[/p][p]It is the fourth straight UWCL appearance in which the Danes ended up claiming third spot in their four-team group as they exacted revenge on the team who knocked them out of the competition 11 years ago. The result also eliminated Slavia from Europe in what was an unexpected shock.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/valerenga/YmTPNf6D/"]Valerenga[/a] recovered from their disappointing semi-final loss on Wednesday to defeat [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/omonia/S2VMljL3/"]Omonia Nicosia[/a] [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/omonia-S2VMljL3/valerenga-YmTPNf6D/?mid=nN61MgYA"]2-0[/a] to keep their European season going.[/p][p]Also moving to the Women's Europa Cup after third-place finishes are [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/torreense/M1TGs4sT/"]Torreense[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/seasters-odesa/OIkcGJWg/"]SeaStars Odesa[/a].[/p][p]The third qualifying round draw will be on Tuesday, featuring the 11 mini-tournament winners from the previous round along with seven direct entrants. This time, the teams will play two-legged ties to determine the last nine participants in this season's league phase.[/p][p]Tuesday will also have the first qualfifying round draw of the UWEC, where the 11 third place finishers from the mini-tournaments join 13 direct entrants. The sides that finished second in Friday and Saturday's groups enter a round later along with the losing teams from the UWCL third qualifying round.[/p][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/soccer/europe/champions-league-women/"]Follow the rest of the UEFA Women's Champions League qualifying on Flashscore.[/a][/b][/p]