Some big names face tough second-leg tests on Wednesday and Thursday to reach the group stage but Real Madrid, Juventus, Häcken, Benfica, Manchester City, Wolfsburg and Celtic produced some eye-catching results in the Uefa Women's Champions League Round 2 first legs, with the returns to come later in the week.
In all, 12 ties decide who joins automatic group stage entrants Barcelona, Lyon, Bayern München and Chelsea in the draw on Friday.
The 15 teams that went through from the round 1 finals were joined by nine clubs beginning at this stage: Häcken, Hammarby, Juventus, Manchester City, Paris Saint-Germain, Wolfsburg, Real Madrid, Roma and Slavia Praha.
First legs
SUNDAY 22 SEPTEMBER
Vorskla Poltava 0-1 Celtic
Murphy Agnew struck in the fifth minute with a neat turn and finish from just inside the box to put Celtic ahead in their bid to became the first Scottish side to reach the group stage. This leg was played, like the return, in Airdrie, Scotland.
THURSDAY 19 SEPTEMBER
Sporting CP 1-2 Real Madrid
Melanie Leupolz scored deep into added time on her European debut for Madrid, who have never failed to reach the group stage. Sporting, fresh from knocking out four-time champions Frankfurt in round 1, had equalised when Andreia Bravo's penalty just before half-time cancelled out Athenea del Castillo's opener.
Galatasaray 2-2 Slavia Praha
Andrea Stašková scored in both round 1 games for new club Galatasaray and the former Sparta Praha player struck twice in the second half for the European debutants against her Czech compatriots. However, Tereza Szewieczková pulled one back and, with the last touch of the game, Barbora Polcarová headed an equaliser for the three-time quarter-finalists, who are aiming to make the group stage for the third straight season.
St. Pölten 3-0 Mura
Also aiming for a third consecutive group berth, the Austrian champions are in a strong position for the return in Slovenia thanks to second-half goals by Kamila Dubcová, substitute Melike Pekel and Izabela Križaj.
WEDNESDAY 18 SEPTEMBER
Juventus 3-1 Paris Saint-Germain
Having reached at least the quarter-finals for the last five seasons, Paris face a tough task to keep up their ever-present group stage record, with Sofia Cantore's solo goal the highlight of Juve's display.
Häcken 1-0 Arsenal
Tabitha Tindell scored with 13 minutes left for 2023/24 quarter-finalists Häcken, seeking a third group spot in four years. Arsenal had most of the play, hitting the woodwork twice.
Paris FC 0-5 Manchester City
Man City are on course for a group debut, set on their way by two memorable first-half goals as Jess Park finished off a brilliant team move and then, on her competitive City debut, Vivianne Miedema produced an acrobatic volley against the team that knocked out Arsenal and Wolfsburg in qualifying last year.
Hammarby 1-2 Benfica
The 12 062 crowd, a competition record for qualifying in any format, were thrilled as Julie Blakstad gave the European debutants an early lead, but Cristina Martin-Prieto and Andreia Norton struck either side of half-time.
Fiorentina 0-7 Wolfsburg
Wolfsburg look set to avoid a second straight exit at this stage, with Alex Popp scoring a hat-trick on her 98th European appearance to reach 35 goals in the competition.
Roma 3-1 Servette FCCF
Two goals in the last five minutes by substitute Evelyne Viens left Roma well placed to make the group stage for the third time in as many entries.
Osijek 1-4 Twente
Twente are in position to emulate Ajax's group debut last season following a burst of second-half goals in Croatia, the pick Alieke Tuin's superb first-time chip to make it 2-1.
Anderlecht 1-2 Vålerenga
Vålerenga will take a lead back to Norway thanks to early goals by Michaela Dominique Kovacs (who was later sent off) and Karina Sævik.
Second legs
WEDNESDAY
Slavia Praha v Galatasaray (6pm, first leg: 2-2)
Wolfsburg v Fiorentina (6.30pm, first leg: 7-0)
Vålerenga v Anderlecht (6.30pm, first leg: 2-1)
Benfica v Hammarby (9pm, first leg: 2-1)
THURSDAY
Paris Saint-Germain v Juventus (6.45pm, first leg: 1-3)
Mura v St. Pölten (7pm, first leg: 0-3)
Servette FCCF v Roma (7pm, first leg: 1-3)
Twente v Osijek (7.45pm, first leg: 4-1)
Manchester City v Paris FC (8pm, first leg: 5-0)
Real Madrid v Sporting CP (8pm, first leg: 2-1)
Celtic v Vorskla Poltava (8.15pm, first leg: 1-0)
Arsenal v Häcken (8.30pm, first leg: 0-1)
Team guide
Wolfsburg and Arsenal (who both lost to Paris FC in qualifying last year) have one title each, while Paris Saint-Germain have twice reached the final.
Paris Saint-Germain lost in last season's semi-finals; Benfica and Häcken reached the quarters.
Manchester City and Paris FC (in their previous guise of Juvisy) have got to the semi-finals. Real Madrid, Roma and Slavia are past quarter-finalists.
Benfica, Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid aim to keep up their record of reaching the group stage every season since its 2021/22 introduction, which Barcelona, Bayern, Chelsea and Lyon are already assured of doing.
Further clubs hoping to return after featuring in last season's group stage are Paris FC, Roma, Slavia and St. Pölten. Arsenal and Servette have also previously contested the post-2021/22 group stage. Fiorentina and Twente made the last-16 in the old knockout format.
Hammarby are making their debut, while Galatasaray played their first Uefa competition games in round 1.
Celtic and Sporting had never previously got through a round in Europe. Anderlecht, Mura, Osijek, Vålerenga and Vorskla Poltava are also bidding to make the last 16 for the first time.
Belgium, Croatia, Scotland, Slovenia and Türkiye have never been represented in the post-2021/22 group stage.
Twente beat Osijek 4-0 in the 2013/14 qualifying round.
Wolfsburg beat Fiorentina 7-3 on aggregate in the 2017/18 round of 32.
Arsenal beat Häcken (then known as Göteborg) 3-2 on aggregate in the 2011/12 quarter-finals, coming back from 2-0 down overall early in the second leg. Arsenal signed Häcken's Rosa Kafaji this summer.
St. Pölten's Mateja Zver spent 14 years at Mura under their previous guise of Pomurje.
Which path is each tie in?
The round 2 draw was split into two paths: the champions path (with 14 teams competing for seven group places) and the league path (10 teams competing for five group spots). Both consist of two-legged ties.
Champions path
St. Pölten v Mura
Benfica v Hammarby*
Osijek v Twente
Galatasaray v Slavia Praha
Roma v Servette FCCF
Anderlecht v Vålerenga
Vorskla Poltava v Celtic
*Order of ties switched from draw.
League path
Sporting CP v Real Madrid
Juventus v Paris Saint-Germain
Paris FC v Manchester City
Fiorentina v Wolfsburg
Häcken v Arsenal
Fixtures
Group stage
Matchday 1: 8/9 October
Matchday 2: 16/17 October
Matchday 3: 12/13 November
Matchday 4: 20/21 November
Matchday 5: 11/12 December
Matchday 6: 17/18 December
Quarter-finals
First leg: 18/19 March
Second leg: 26/27 March
Semi-finals
First leg: 19/20 April
Second leg: 26/27 April
Final (Estádio José Alvalade, Lisbon)
23, 24 or 25 May
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