Women's Champions League: Bristol reach quarter-finals.. By Caroline Chapman BBC Sport please log in to view this image Bristol Academy beat Barcelona 2-1 on aggregate to reach the quarter-finals of the Women's Champions League. The Women's Super League side, who took a 1-0 lead into the second leg at Ashton Gate, drew 1-1 thanks to a late Nikki Watts penalty. Barcelona took the lead shortly before half-time through Vicky Losada's deflected free-kick. But Watts equalised from the spot with seven minutes remaining in front of a club record crowd of 2,457. Bristol, who finished seventh in the Super League this season, are the only remaining English team in the Champions League. The draw for the quarter-finals and semi-finals will be held next week, with the games being played in March 2015. Three-time Spanish league champions Barcelona, for whom defeat in the first leg ended a 55-game unbeaten run at home, were superior in possession on Thursday. However, Bristol went closest to opening the scoring when Natasha Harding slid on to Corinne Yorston's pass but was unable to force the ball home. Barcelona made the breakthrough when Jasmine Matthews was penalised for handball just outside the area, and Losada scored with a free-kick that diverted off the wall. Early in the second half, Harding shot narrowly wide, while Spain international Natalia hit the crossbar from 30 yards. Bristol goalkeeper Mary Earps made a reflex save from Virginia Torrecilla before Harding was brought down by Melanie Serrano and Watts slotted home from the spot. Bristol are set to earn â¬50,000 (£39,700) for reaching the quarter-finals. http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/30022849
Superb result. The quarter finals are in March. Does anyone know if they are two-legged? I would presume so, and, if that is the case, maybe we should all get down there to support them!!
Very, very, very good stuff! I hope to see one or two of them at the Women's World Cup in Canada next year.
