Women’s Champions League: Hard fighting Ajibade fails to save Atletico
Super Falcons ace Rashidat Ajibade put up a good fight in Chelsea versus Atletico Women’s Champions League round of 16 tie on Wednesday but failed to save her side from defeat.
Despite earning early red card Chelsea rose to the occassion to defeat Ajibade’s Atletico 2-0. The Blues ladies went as much as 75 minutes with a player short. It was a day things appeared to have gone a bit wrong for the Spanish ladies as they failed to convert a crucial penalty after the Nigerian international was brought down by Sophie Ingle leading to the award of penalty which unfortunately Atletico could not convert.
It was a match in which the Spanish side should have won or at worst pulled a draw as Ajibade displayed her usual impressive run garnished with her usual fast pace.
A Maren Mjelde penalty in the 59th minute and a strike from Fran Kirby five minutes later gave the Londoners a fighting chance of making the quarter-finals.
However, they were indebted to their German goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger who kept out penalties from Deyna Castellanos in the 15th minute and Merel van Dongen, 10 minutes from time.
In other fixtures Manchester City took a decisive lead in their tie against Fiorentina with a dominant 3-0 victory.
Lauren Hemp and Ellen White scored inside the opening four minutes with substitute Sam Mewis heading home a third in the closing minutes.
City are now on a nine-match winning streak in all competitions.
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Jenni Hermoso’s hat-trick -– her first in the competition since August 2011 — ensured a useful advantage for 2019 runners-up Barcelona against 2003 finalists Fortuna Hjorring in a 4-0 win.
Captain Alexia Putellas added the fourth goal for Barcelona with eight minutes remaining.
Defending five-time champions Lyon play the first leg of their last-16 tie on Thursday at home to Brondby of Denmark.