Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain scored second-half winners in their away victories in the first leg of the Women’s Champions League quarter-finals on Wednesday.
Defending champion Barcelona defeated Norwegian team Brann 2-1, while PSG earlier beat Swedish club Hcken by the same score.
Salma Paralluelo gave Barcelona the win with a low left-footed shot from inside the area in the 72nd minute for her competition-leading sixth goal this season.
Caroline Graham Hansen, a Norway international, had put the titleholders ahead with a deflected shot less than 10 minutes into the match. Cecilie Kvamme equalized for the hosts from a tight angle in the 39th.
On Tuesday in the other quarter-finals, favourites Lyon and Chelsea also earned first-leg wins on the road. Record eight-time champion Lyon came from behind to beat Benfica 2-1, while Chelsea defeated Ajax 3-0 to move closer to a second straight appearance in the last four of Europe’s top competition.
PSG defeated Hcken in Gothenburg with a 74th-minute winner by Tabitha Chawinga.
“Offensively, I’m a little disappointed,” PSG coach Jocelyn Precheur said. “We can show a better side to ourselves, especially in our stadium in Paris.”
Eva Gaetino had opened the scoring for PSG in the 23rd with her first professional goal, and Rosa Kafaji equalized for the hosts in the 42nd off the rebound of her own missed penalty kick.
“We are disappointed but there were many things we did pretty well in the game,” Hcken coach Mak Lind said. “It was good for us to experience this game, and it’s only the first half out of two. There’s one more game to play and we have a chance, for sure.”
The second legs for both series involving PSG and Barcelona will take place on March 28. Chelsea and Lyon will play their second legs on March 27.