WHAT HAPPENED
Vivianne Miedema and Danielle van de Donk both scored hat-tricks as we swept past Slavia Prague in an 8-0 win to advance into quarter-final stage of the Champions League.
We picked up from where we left off in the first leg and Beth Mead had our first chance inside 10 minutes, when she found space in the box but saw her shot held by Barbora Votikova.
Our early pressure paid off when Van de Donk connected with a pull back from Lisa Evans and took a touch before slotting home from inside the box.
Minutes later we made it two when Mead was brought down just inside the area after a neat piece of skill and Kim Little made no mistake from the spot.
Jill Roord all but booked our place in the next round when she reacted quickly to swivel and power a half-volley past Votikova.
It could have been even better for us before the break, when Mead’s delightful chip from outside the box flew over Prague's goalkeeper but bounced back off the post.
However, in first-half injury time, Miedema got herself in on the act and scored her 50th goal in as many starts for the club. The Netherlands international broke free from the defence, took the ball round Votikova, and kept her composure to slam into the net.
After the restart, Van de Donk grabbed her second when Roord’s strike rebounded off the post and into the Dutch international’s path, enabling her to strike into an empty net from close range.
Our midfield magician then grabbed her hat-trick in the 70th minute when, from a corner, the ball was flicked to the back post, where she was first to arrive in a crowded penalty area to head into the corner of the goal.
Miedema grabbed her second of the night four minutes later. Mead beat an onrushing Votikova to the ball before teeing up our prolific striker to stroke home. Miedema then completed her own hat-trick when she rose highest to power a header into the far corner of the net.
WHAT IT MEANS
Victory in the round of 16 means we progress to the quarter finals of the Champions League for the first time since the 2013/14 season.
WHAT’S NEXT
We’re back in Women’s Super League action on Sunday, November 3 when we face Brighton & Hove Albion at 2pm (UK time). The game will be played at the People’s Pension Stadium in Crawley.
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