The UEFA Europa Cup marched on in earnest this week as the round of 16 concluded with no shortage of drama, and the quarter final bracket was set.

In just its second season, the Europa Cup continues to grow and while perhaps attention was drawn to the UEFA Women’s Champions League headlines this week, today is the perfect chance for a catch up on Europe’s alternative club competition. The Halfway Line has you covered for everything you’ve missed in the UEFA Europa Cup this week.

German Giants Progress in UEFA Europa Cup

On a misty night in Rotterdam two time UEFA Women’s Champions League winners Wolfsburg carried a 7-0 led with them to the Netherlands. An eight minute hat-trick from Cora Zicai had been the highlight in the first leg but the German side were looking to put in a professional performance away to Feyenoord in the second. On the night, Feyenoord put up a stubborn resistance, the like that had eluded them in the first leg, with the deadlock only broken in the 72nd minute. In the first leg they were already 7-0 down before the 72nd minute. Wolfsburg would go onto win 3-0 on the night, with the pick of the bunch scored by Kessya Bussy after a clever one-two with Lena Lattwein set the French winger in on the left, she clinically finished into the bottom corner. Defeat brought to an end an historic run for Feyenoord, who were competing in European competition for the first time. Wolfsburg now turn their attention to domestic football again at the weekend, with the small matter of a tie against the Frauen Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich lying in wait.

Eintracht Frankfurt, the other German top seeded side and the only other European champion still standing in the competition also faced Dutch opposition in PSV Eindhoven. A more experienced side on the European stage, PSV provided stiffer opposition for Frankfurt but they eventually succumb to the same outcome as their fellow country women. The Dutch will count themselves unlucky to face same German side two years in a row at the round of 16 stage after being eliminated by the same opponents last term.

Coming into the second leg, PSV had it all to do after a 2-0 defeat in Eindhoven last week. Shanice van de Sanden missed a golden chance inside two minutes to take the lead on the night for the visitors. Any hope that the creation of that chance might have instilled in the travelling support soon evaporated when Gwyneth Hendriks brought down Laura Freigang just outside the box as the Frankfurt captain looked to accelerate past Hendriks and through on goal. Referee Jelena Cvetković did not hesitate in brandishing a red card. Former Arsenal centre back Amanda Ilestedt opened the scoring on the night finding the net by way of a fortuitous deflection before the break. Liz Rijsbergen did renew some level of hope for the visitors, levelling the scores on the night with an emphatic finish in off the crossbar. However hope would once again be short-lived for PSV as just a minute later another Swede plying their trade for Frankfurt, Rebecka Blomqvist ended the tie as a contest with clinical brilliance, firing past Nicky Evrard when played through on goal. Frankfurt and Wolfsburg remain on a collision course in the final, separated on either side of the draw.

The Miracle of Malmö

Ajax had come into their tie against Malmö as favourites, but after defeat a narrow 2-1 defeat in Amsterdam that tide had begun to turn. On Wednesday night in Sweden with just three minutes of normal time remaining in the tie, Ajax were on the brink of elimination. That was the moment that two substitutes combined for Ajax. Joëlle Smits who was introduced off the bench at half time, had made a difference for Ajax, she’d lost her marker in the box more than once but had not yet been able to take advantage. So Smits turned provider, lofting an enticing ball to the far post towards Bo van Egmond, who cunningly evaded her marker and connected with the ball in the six yard box firing into the roof of the net.

With moments remaining until the match would head to extra time, the ball fell to Ajax captain Sherida Spitse on the edge of the box. Spitse took aim and with the help of a wicked deflection, sent the ball tumbling past Zećira Mušović into the Malmö goal. It would be hard not to feel for Malmö centre back Sari Kees, who slumped to the ground in dismay after her knee had deflected the ball into the Malmö net. Just 20 or so yards away the Ajax bench erupted and spilled onto the pitch overflowing with unbridled ecstasy. Football can be a cruel and wonderful game in equal measure. The Miracle of Malmö as it has so smartly deemed by the Ajax social media team since Wednesday night was complete.

Hammarby, Brøndby & Brann keep Scandi hopes alive

Hammarby advanced to the next round after a routine 4-0 victory over Spartak Myjava. Carrying a 3-1 led from the first leg it took the Bajen until the 73rd minute to open the deadlock in the second leg but a flurry of goals would see them 4-0 just eleven minutes later. That included a brace from Elin Sørum putting her level with Zicai and Brann’s Brenna Lovera in the Golden boot race. Hammarby will face Ajax in the next round in another repeated tie from last season’s competition. The Swedish side included a tribute to their 17-year-old starlet Fanny Peterson after she tore her ACL recently, raising a sign in support of her when celebrating with the home faithful. Peterson scored a stunning goal in the semi final of last year’s competition and is a player on the radar of many elite clubs in Europe.

In the heart of Poland on Wednesday night, recently crowned Norwegian champions Brann secured a 5-1 win to advance 8-1 on aggregate against Czarni Sosnowiec. Laura Kaminski’s side were comfortable from the off and were 4-0 up before half time with reported Tottenham Hotspur target Lauren Davidson on target for the visitors. Brann will be the sole representatives from Norway in the quarter finals after Rosenborg were eliminated by Danish champions Brøndby. With the tie finely poised at 1-1 after the first leg in Trondheim, a goal in the tenth minute from Rakel Engesvik helped to settle the nerves for the home side. A tight contest followed but Brøndby found the net again in the final minute as their Nordic captain, Malin Brenn, fired home to book a quarter final date with Wolfsburg. This term is proving to be a fruitful year for Danish clubs in European competition with HB Køge currently occupying a play off spot in the UWCL.

Iberian sides advance

In front of a crowd of over 7,000 spectators Real Sociedad advanced at the expense of hosts, Fenerbahçe. The Txuri-urdin had arrived in Türkiye with a two goal lead to protect but were met with a cauldron like atmosphere in Istanbul. However within a minute Sociedad had silenced the raucous crowd after a tantalising near post cross from Cecilia Marcos was inadvertently directed into her own net by Fenerbahçe’s Colette Ndzana. A near post header from Chile forward Sonya Keefe doubled the lead before half time and all but secured a place in the next round for the Basque side. The sole Portuguese presence in the competition, Torreense will join them in the quarter finals in their debut season playing in European competition. Their place in the next round was sown up with an impressive 3-0 second leg victory over last year’s semi finalists, Sparta Prague on Thursday night after drawing the first leg in Czechia 2-2.

UEFA Europa Cup results

Feyenoord 0-3 Wolfsburg [agg: 0-10]

Malmö 0-2 Ajax (agg: 2-3)

Czarni Sosnowiec 1-5 Brann (agg: 1-8)

Brøndby 2-0 Rosenborg (agg: 3-1)

Fenerbahçe 0-2 Real Sociedad (agg: 0-4)

Eintracht Frankfurt 2-1 PSV Eindhoven (agg: 4-1)

Hammarby 4-0 Spartak Myjava (agg: 7-1)

Torreense 3-0 Sparta Praha (agg: 5-2)

UEFA Europa Cup Quarter Finals

Eintracht Frankfurt vs Real Sociedad

Brann vs Torreense

Hammarby vs Ajax

Brøndby vs Wolfsburg

Ties to be contested on 3rd/4th & 10th/11th February 2027.