Everton, Arsenal to meet as Potsdam reach final
Monday, February 28, 2011
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Everton and Arsenal LFC have been drawn together in the FA Women's Cup fifth round, meaning one will miss out on Europe next term, while 1. FFC Turbine Potsdam are into the German final.
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Only one of UEFA Women's Champions League quarter-finalists Everton and Arsenal LFC will be in the competition next season after being matched in the FA Women's Cup fifth-round draw while 1. FFC Turbine Potsdam are through to the German Women's Cup final.
With England's new summer FA Women's Super League not starting until April, the cup will decide their European entrants for 2011/12. And one English team will make their UEFA competition debut as the only previous entrants still in contention, Everton and Arsenal, will meet in the FA Women's Cup last 16 on 13 March – both sides' first competitive match this year. Everton, at home, are defending the trophy after a dramatic 3-2 extra-time defeat of league champions Arsenal in the 2010 final, and four days after their encounter both teams will play the first legs of their European ties, the Toffees at home to FCR 2001 Duisburg and the Gunners against Linköpings FC.
The German Women's Cup semi-finals were played over the weekend and Potsdam set up a decider with 1. FFC Frankfurt. Reigning European and German champions Potsdam won 4-2 at FC Bayern München – who had knocked out holders Duisburg in the last eight – aided by goals in the first 20 minutes by Viola Odebrecht, Yuki Nagasato and Anja Mittag. Carina Wenninger and Petra Wimbersky pulled two back before the break but, with 16 minutes left, substitute Natasa Andonova clinched victory for Potsdam, who also face FCF Juvisy Essonne in the UEFA Women's Champions League quarter-finals.
Three-time European champions Frankfurt saw off SC 07 Bad Neuenahr 3-1 to book their place in the 26 March final in Cologne, aiming to avenge their trio of losses in the fixture to Potsdam between 2004 and 2006. Before that, the Frauen-Bundesliga will be decided over the next two Sundays, with Potsdam currently one point ahead of Frankfurt and Duisburg five off the lead.
In France, there are still six league games to go and while Juvisy are back in fourth, Olympique Lyonnais are six points clear of Montpellier Hérault SC having won all 16 of their fixtures. Lyon's UEFA Women's Champions League quarter-final opponents are Russia's Zvezda-2005, who like Sweden's Linköping and the English clubs are yet to begin their domestic season.
