After a promising start: Eintracht falls to Barcelona in Champions League thriller
Eintracht Frankfurt's women's soccer squad squandered a golden opportunity against FC Barcelona in the Champions League. Despite a solid initial half, head coach Niko Arnautis' team ended up falling 3-1 (1-0) to the reigning champions, with 16,100 spectators witnessing the action at Deutsche Bank Park.
National striker Laura Freigang stunned the crowd in the 42nd minute by placing Eintracht ahead. However, Barcelona rebounded after the interval, with Salma Paralluelo (48th/62nd) and Mariona Caldentey (59th) converting to seal the victory for the Spanish record champions.
Following a 2-1 triumph over FC Rosengard in Sweden, Frankfurt is now intent on securing more points when they take on Benfica Lisbon on December 13, following their home opener in the group stage. Barcelona started the campaign undefeated, having not surrendered a single point in any of their ten competitive matches this season. With back-to-back 5-0 triumphs over Lisbon and Real Madrid in the Spanish league, they exhibited an unstoppable force.
Barça's Women's team keep the pressure up after the break
Most of the favored team's attacks profit from the brilliance of World Champion and Ballon d'Or winner Aitana Bonmatí, especially with Alexia Putellas sidelined due to injury. Yet, Eintracht's defense, spearheaded by Sara Doorsoun, displayed remarkable focus in keeping Paralluelo at bay for much of the contest. As for Pia-Sophie Wolter on the left wing, the young star had limited impact against the stout Frankfurt defense.
In a game played in frigid temperatures, the Barça ladies struggled to heat up for most of the first half. Freigang capitalized on a Verena Hanshaw cross to break the deadlock just before half-time. Moments earlier, Nicole Anyomi had tested Barcelona's goalkeeper Sandra Paños. Post-halftime, Barcelona rebooted their engines, and Paralluelo redeemed herself with a thunderous finish from close range to level the score.
Frankfurt faced their first taste of defeat in the competition since Bonmatí took charge of the former European Cup winners 1. FFC Frankfurt over three years ago. Their chance at reaching the quarterfinals now hangs in the balance, with FC Bayern Munich battling it out against Paris Saint-Germain on Thursday, and VfL Wolfsburg having already been eliminated.
Eintracht Frankfurt's women's team effortlessly dominated the first half against Barcelona, but a reversal of fortune in the second half allowed the reigning champions to pull ahead after Salma Paralluelo scored twice and Mariona Caldentey added an insurance goal.
As they prepare to face Benfica Lisbon on December 13, Eintracht Frankfurt aims to bounce back from their recent setback and earn valuable points in their Champions League campaign, while Barcelona looks to contain their undefeated streak and challenge for the title in one of the most highly anticipated competitions in women's soccer.
