Glasgow City’s Champions League adventure is over after they were overwhelmed by dominant Wolfsburg in their last-eight tie in San Sebastian.
The part-time Scottish side, in their first game for five months, couldn’t compete with the world-class Germans.
Pernille Harder scored four, Ingrid Engen added a double, with Felicitas Rauch also on target before own goals from Leeanne Ross and Jenna Clark.
City’s Lauren Wade netted an incredible consolation into the top corner.
Wolfsburg face Barcelona, who edge Atletico Madrid 1-0, in the semi-final on Tuesday.
The gulf in respective resources made this a near-impossible task for Scotland’s champions. Wolfsburg have a £10m budget and are four-time Champions League finalists, winning the competition in 2013 and 2014, while City were only able to resume training post-lockdown last month.
Scott Booth’s side held out until the 16th minute when Harder scored a wonderfully crafted opener, and Engen was left unmarked from a corner to quickly double the lead with a simple header.
City had snippets of threat at the other end, but their deficit doubled on the cusp of half-time. Engen met a cross with a first-time finish and Harder beat Lee Alexander with a shot the goalkeeper should have dealt with.
Glasgow’s mistakes were being clinically punished and Harder nodded home to complete her hat-trick.
Then come a moment to cherish for Wade. The Northern Ireland international scored the goal of the game as she clipped a wonderful strike from a tight angle into the top corner. City might have had another, only for Leanne Crichton’s effort to bounce back off the crossbar.
And as the Scottish side grew weary, Wolfsburg capitalised. Substitute Rauch pounced on a loose ball to fire home, Harder headed her fourth, Ross sent a diving header into her own net, and Clark was unfortunate to deflect the ball beyond Alexander in injury time.
‘We could have done many things better’
Glasgow City team manager Laura Montgomery: “We lost bad goals. There are many things we could have done better.
“It was disappointing to lose two goals at the end of the first half. They’re a top-quality outfit. The difference is astronomical.
“Wolfsburg’s budget will be bigger than every SPFL team outwith Rangers and Celtic in the men’s league.”
Article courtesy of BBC Sport
Source link
