Immediate Reaction: Real Madrid Femenino 3-0 Breidablik

Real Madrid Femenino secured qualification to the UEFA Champions League quarterfinals with their 3-0 win over Breidablik in Iceland. Las Blancas secured qualification with a group stage match to spare and will play WFC Zhytlobud 1 Kharkiv on Thursday, December 16 with their fate already decided. This was Alberto Toril’s second victory and first UWCL victory as manager of Real Madrid Femenino.

Las Blancas dominated from the start and quickly took the lead despite the snowy and frigid conditions. Kosovare Asllani, in her second match after returning from injury, opened the scoring in the tenth minute. The Swede won a penalty in the 39th minute and converted it, giving Real Madrid a 2-0 lead at the half.

Real Madrid did not have the dominance they had in the first half in the second. Breidablik caused Las Blancas problems both defensively and offensively. Despite their lackluster play in the second half, Claudia Zornoza scored Las Blancas’ third goal in the 82nd minute.

• 3’ Claudia Zornoza launched a shot from distance that was spilled by the keeper. Esther got to the loose ball first but was offside.
• 7’ Misa came off her line quickly and made a sliding challenge on Hildur Antonsdottir to cut out the danger.
• 9’ Asllani made a good run and tried to curl her shot inside the goal post but it was tipped wide for a corner.
• 10’ Teresa received the short corner and drove toward goal. She cut it back to Kenti Robles, who mis-hit her shot into the path of Asllani. The Swede smashed the ball into the roof of the net to give Real Madrid an early lead.

• 14’ Teresa won the ball near the top of the 18-yard and hit a low shot toward the bottom corner of the goal which was pushed wide.
• 25’ Athenea took a wonderful took to release herself into space. She dribbled into the box before crossing. The pass took a deflection and found Zornoza, who scooped her shot over the bar.
• 35’ Zornoza delivered an in-swinging cross to the head of Babett Peter. The German flicked her header toward the bottom corner but the keeper made another good save to parry it wide.
• 36’ Asllani played a nice ball into stride for the on-rushing Kenti Robles. The right back smashed her shot into the wrong side of the net.
• 39’ Asllani displayed her close control in the area and was chopped down by a defender. She stepped to the spot and doubled Las Blancas’ lead.

• 47’ Caroline Moller Hansen got down the left wing and lofted the ball into the box. Athenea got to it and couldn’t keep her shot from rising above the bar.
• Breidablik cause Real Madrid some issues early in the second half by stepping up their line of confrontation and pressing high up the pitch.
• 70’ Breidablik were able to construct a decent chance down the left side of the Real Madrid defense. Misa did just enough to make it difficult and the shot flew wide of her goal.
• 71’ Marta Cardona came on to make her long awaited return from injury.
• 82’ Zornoza scored Real Madrid’s third goal of the night. She drove down the middle of the pitch and sprayed it wide to Marta Cardona, who crossed. The ball bounced around in the area, substitute Nahikari Gracia’s shot was saved, and Zornoza got to the rebound and poked it home.

Real Madrid Femenino are back in action this weekend when they host league leaders FC Barcelona Femeni on Sunday, December 12