The UEFA Women’s Champions League kicked off in thrilling fashion, with matchday 1 delivering everything from dominant wins by Europe’s top teams to surprising upsets and unforgettable debuts. As the race for continental glory heats up, fans were treated to a rollercoaster of action, setting up what promises to be an even more exciting matchday 2.
Lyon asserts dominance with a 3-0 victory over Galatasaray
Eight-time UWCL champion Olympique Lyonnais wasted no time showing their quality with a 3-0 win over Galatasaray. With Kadidiatou Diani leading the charge, the French side showed why they’re one of the favourites to lift the trophy this season. Diani bagged two goals, while Vanessa Gilles also got on the scoresheet in what could have been an even bigger win for Lyon, given they had 41 shots on goal.
Diani’s first goal came in the 34th minute when she headed home from a pinpoint Tabitha Chawinga cross. Chawinga was on hand again just before half-time, delivering another superb assist for Gilles, who nodded in Lyon’s second. Diani completed her brace with another header in the second half, sealing a dominant start to their campaign.
Lyon are now looking ahead to their next challenge against Wolfsburg, knowing they’ve already laid down a marker in Group A.
UEFA
Manchester City shocks Barcelona in a stunning 2-0 victory
Perhaps the biggest upset of matchday 1 came in Manchester, where City stunned reigning champions Barcelona with a 2-0 win. Naomi Layzell, a young talent from City’s ranks, opened the scoring in the 36th minute, converting her first professional goal in a moment she’ll never forget.
City’s tenacity didn’t let up, and Khadija Shaw, the 2023/24 Women’s Super League Golden Boot winner, doubled their lead in the second half. Barcelona, usually so dominant, struggled to find their rhythm and were left reeling from their first defeat since April 2024. Manchester City, returning to the competition after a three-year absence, couldn’t have asked for a better start.
AS Roma stun Wolfsburg with 1-0 win
In one of the more surprising results, AS Roma claimed a 1-0 victory over two-time champions Wolfsburg. The Italian side took the lead early on when Lynn Wilms handled the ball in the box, gifting Roma a penalty. Manuela Giugliano coolly slotted it home in the 14th minute, and despite Wolfsburg’s efforts to fight back, Roma held firm.
Wolfsburg captain Alexandra Popp came close to equalising on a couple of occasions, but Roma’s goalkeeper, Camelia Ceasar, was in inspired form, making several crucial saves. The Italian champions are now looking to build on this result as they prepare for their next fixture against Galatasaray.
Bayern Munich triumphed over Arsenal in a seven-goal thriller
Bayern Munich and Arsenal delivered a classic, with the German side emerging victorious in a thrilling 5-2 win. Arsenal took an early lead through Mariona Caldentey, but Bayern hit back with Glódís Viggósdóttir’s header just before half-time, setting up an explosive second half.
The star of the show was Pernille Harder, who celebrated her 50th UEFA Women’s Champions League appearance with a stunning hat-trick. Despite Arsenal pulling one back late on through Laia Codina, Harder’s brilliance proved too much for the Gunners. Bayern now sits atop Group C, while Arsenal must regroup ahead of their clash with Juventus on matchday 2.
UEFA
FC Twente secured a 2-0 win over Celtic in a historic encounter
In Scotland, Dutch champions FC Twente took on Celtic, making their UEFA Women’s Champions League debut. Celtic started brightly, but FC Twente’s experience shone through in a 2-0 win, with Kayleigh Van Dooren scoring both goals. Her first came just before half-time, and she added a second late in the game to secure Twente’s position at the top of Group B.
Celtic will be disappointed with the result but will have learned valuable lessons as they look to bounce back against Real Madrid in their next outing.
Juventus holds off Vålerenga in 1-0 win
Juventus got their group stage campaign off to a solid start with a 1-0 win over Vålerenga in Oslo. Sofia Cantore’s brilliant strike from outside the box in the 29th minute was enough to secure the victory. Despite Vålerenga applying pressure late on, Juventus’ defence held strong, ensuring they left Norway with all three points.
The win puts Juventus in second place in Group C, and they’ll be hoping to keep the momentum going when they face Arsenal next.
Chelsea edged over Real Madrid in Dramatic 3-2 win
Chelsea’s 3-2 victory over Real Madrid was one of the most exciting matches of matchday 1. The English champions started strongly, with Sjoeke Nüsken heading in to open the scoring and a penalty from Guro Reiten doubling their lead.
However, Real Madrid didn’t roll over. Alba Redondo’s composed finish just before half-time gave the Spanish side hope, but Mayra Ramírez restored Chelsea’s two-goal cushion soon after the break. Madrid’s Linda Caicedo added a late goal to make it 3-2, but Chelsea held on for a vital three points. They’ll face a tough test against FC Twente next as they look to build on their winning start.
UEFA
Hammarby make history with first-ever group stage win
Swedish side Hammarby made their UEFA Women’s Champions League debut one to remember with a 2-0 win over St. Pölten. Vilde Hasund scored a stunning long-range goal in the 18th minute to give the home side the lead, and Cathinka Tanberg sealed the victory with a second goal late on.
The win puts Hammarby at the top of Group D, and they’ll be hoping to build on this historic victory as they head into Matchday 2.
What to expect on matchday 2
Matchday 1 of the UEFA Women’s Champions League set the tone for what promises to be an exciting group stage, and the upcoming round of fixtures will only add to the intrigue. Can Lyon and Bayern continue their strong starts? Will Barcelona and Wolfsburg bounce back from their shock defeats? And can teams like Manchester City and Hammarby maintain their momentum?
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Matchday 2 schedule
Wednesday, October 16:
Juventus FC vs FC Bayern Munich
- 17:45 BST / 18:45 CET / 12:45 ET
SKN St. Pölten vs Manchester City
- 17:45 BST / 18:45 CET / 12:45 ET
Arsenal FC vs Vålerenga
- 20:00 BST / 21:00 CET / 15:00 ET
FC Barcelona vs Hammarby IF
- 20:00 BST / 21:00 CET / 15:00 ET
Thursday, October 17:
Real Madrid CF vs Celtic FC
- 17:45 BST / 18:45 CET / 12:45 ET
Galatasaray A.Ş vs AS Roma
- 17:45 BST / 18:45 CET / 12:45 ET
FC Twente vs Chelsea FC
- 20:00 BST / 21:00 CET / 15:00 ET
VfL Wolfsburg vs Olympique Lyonnais
- 20:00 BST / 21:00 CET / 15:00 ET