Manchester United failed to reach the Champions League group stage after a 3-1 defeat in the second leg of their qualifier at Paris St Germain.
A 47th-minute equaliser from Lisa Naalsund gave the Women’s Super League side hope but Lieke Martens’ second of the game and another from Sandy Baltimore saw the French team prevail 4-2 on aggregate.
Leah Galton had a goal disallowed controversially and Ella Toone hit the woodwork as United battled to the end but PSG held on.
The hosts started strongly and looked like taking the lead after 10 minutes when Tabitha Chawinga, goalscorer in the first leg, rounded Mary Earps but shot tamely and Maya Le Tissier cleared.
The opener came eight minutes later. This time Earps did well to deny Chawinga but could do little as Martens pounced on the rebound and curled past the United keeper.
United tried to reply quickly with Geyse teeing up Naalsund in the box but the Norwegian could not take the chance and the visitors had a let-off when Martens headed over.
Marc Skinner’s side went close before the break when Geyse combined with Toone but the England international failed to make clean contact and pulled her shot wide.
United did get themselves back into the game soon after the restart when Geyse again found space and Naalsund was on hand to turn home from in front of goal.
Yet it was to prove a shortlived response as PSG quickly went up the other end and regained the lead.
Martens again did the damage, grabbing her second from close range following more good work by Chawinga.
United searched for a second equaliser but Katarzyna Kiedrzynek saved from Hannah Blundell and Geyse.
PSG took a firm grip on the tie just before the hour as winger Baltimore outran Blundell and chipped Earps from a tight angle.
Still United fought on and Katie Zelem drew another save from Kiedrzynek from a free-kick.
Galton then headed the ball into the net but the effort was ruled out for a soft foul on Kiedrzynek, who required treatment after colliding with the United player.
Toone struck the post with a spectacular effort in stoppage time but it was not United’s night.
Slegers praises entire team after dominant Arsenal win at Juventus
Arsenal interim head coach Renee Slegers wanted to spread the credit across the team following their 4-0 win away to Juventus in the Champions League on Tuesday.
Following other results during the evening, Arsenal are currently second in the group and have opened a three-point gap to third place.
"We have four different goalscorers and the players up top are performing really well, but I don't want to take out the goalkeeper, our back four and our two sixes as well," Slegers told official club media.
"We sometimes forget to highlight because the players up top are scoring the goals, but I think the goalkeepers and the back four - they have been doing really well now over time. I think the spaces Wally and Kim covered today in midfield - they've been brilliant.
"So I think the whole team today deserves credit, including the game-changers coming on tonight."
The result maintained Slegers' unbeaten start since taking over from Jonas Eidevall and was her fourth win in five matches in all competitions.
But she highlighted that the Italian side offered a different challenge to what the Gunners have previously been used to. As a result, they changed their approach.
"They play a different kind of football, which we haven't really faced yet this season," said Slegers.
"Coming here for an away game, the travelling and then this type of football, which is very intense from a psychological and physical perspective, I'm very proud of the girls and their performance. And obviously, very happy with the result.
"The players are always proud to represent the club, so they're happy to be in the group stage and play these European games. But then adding the fans, I could see them from here. We had a beautiful view.
"I could see them, I could hear them and I'm sure the players also heard them during the games. I think it's massive. I think it's so impressive how much they support us and I think it gives us a couple of extra percentages in the games, I really do."
Manchester City and Bayern Munich maintain 100% records with comfortable wins
Manchester City maintained their perfect start to their Women's Champions League campaign with a 2-0 victory at home to Hammarby.
The Citizens sit top of Group D with nine points from their opening three games, with their latest result following up wins over St. Polten and 2023-24 champions, Barcelona.
Gareth Taylor's side also extended their unbeaten start to the campaign in all competition, winning every game since drawing with Arsenal on the opening day of the Women's Super League season.
Both teams went in at half-time level following a first half in which quality was at a premium, following a couple of half-chances for the home side.
The hosts went ahead just two minutes into the second half after a finish from Laura Blinkilde Brown, after Aoba Fujino had struck the woodwork earlier.
Khadija Shaw and Fujino both went close to doubling the lead, with the former having a goal disallowed in the 67th minute for offside after being picked out by Mary Fowler.
Fujino sealed a comfortable victory for City, netting their second on 79 minutes to seal a win in the first meeting between the two sides in the competition.
And City were worthy winners in the contest. They ended with an expected goals (xG) total of 2.75 from their 16 shots, though only three of their efforts were on target.
Elsewhere, Bayern Munich were also comfortable winners with a 3-0 home victory over Valerenga in a game the visitors never looked like taking anything from.
Bayern went a goal up in 10 minutes, with former Chelsea forward Pernille Harder heading home from inside the box for her fifth strike in three games in the competition.
Just seven minutes later, they were firmly in control of the match as Giulia Gwinn doubled their lead with a penalty after Elise Thorsnes had fouled Weronika Zawistowska.
The German side dominated the game, with more possession (76% to 24%), more shots (15 to 7) and a higher xG (1.95 to 0.47) than their opponents.
Bayern were able to add a third that their performance merited in second-half stoppage time, with Sarah Zadrazil sending a stunning volley beyond Tove Enblom.
The result leaves them top of their group with three victories from three matches, three points above second-placed Arsenal.
Valerenga are bottom of Group C and are still waiting for their first point of the competition.
Chelsea quartet left at home as Bompastor rotates squad for Celtic clash
Chelsea manager Sonia Bompastor has said that they will be without four key players ahead of their Champions League game away to Celtic on Wednesday.
Bompastor confirmed that Millie Bright, Mayra Ramirez, Sjoeke Nusken and Kadeisha Buchanan have not travelled to Scotland for their encounter at Celtic Park.
The Blues know a victory will seal their progression to the knockout stages, though have decided to rest a few of their key players during a hectic fixture schedule.
Their trip to Scotland will be the second of three matches inside seven days in all competitions for Bompastor's side and, as a result, she has decided to rotate her squad.
"The squad is in a good place and we have a good dynamic and we are full of confidence," she told a press conference
"We have been playing a lot of games and this week we play three games so it’s important to manage players as individuals.
“We have some players who didn’t travel for this game. Kadeisha Buchanan, Millie Bright, Sjoeke Nusken and Mayra Ramirez didn’t travel."
Chelsea come into the game with a 100% record in all competitions under Bompastor, including two wins from two against Real Madrid and Twente in the Champions League.
And they will be confident of maintaining their perfect run, having lost just one of their previous 20 group stage matches in the competition (W14 D5) and are unbeaten across their last 14 (W11 D3).
“As you know, Chelsea have a good squad with quality and a good team will start the game and be competitive because we want to finish first in this group," she said.
Their early-season form has them second in the Women's Super League and top of their Champions League group, at least three points ahead of any other team.
Despite resting players, Bompastor reassured people that it was Chelsea's ambition to fight on all fronts.
“The Champions League is important and we have ambition and we want to make sure we finish first in the group," she said.
“We have ambitions and if we want to go for all the competitions then you need to beat every team.
“It will start again in March and that’s when the really important games start, but right now we are focused on the group stage.”
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