Key events
2 min: Remember, Frankfurt have to win to maintain any chance of going through. Barça start on the front foot, with Bonmati getting involved, but the visitors demonstrate their intentions with a quick counter.
First half kick-off!
Let’s do this.
Meanwhile, some serious news from domestic women’s football:
A formal investigation into the circumstances surrounding the death of Sheffield United player Maddy Cusack has been opened by the Football Association.
Cusack died aged 27 in September last year. A week after her death, her family are understood to have sent a written complaint to United outlining a range of issues she had been facing, which they said all stemmed from her treatment by the club’s manager, Jonathan Morgan.
Five minutes until kick-off. Now we just need the live feed to appear on DAZN’s YouTube, and we’re ready to go!
Full time! Rosengård 2-2 Benfica
The Swedish side have troubled the scorers in Group A! They are off the mark with their first point in five games thanks to Mai Kadowaki’s late equaliser. And that means, pleasingly, that the forthcoming Barcelona v Eintracht Frankfurt tie is not a dead rubber!
Ella Braidwood
For Sabah Mahmood, coach of east London side FC Leytonstone’s under-14 girls, Lauren James’ hat-trick during Chelsea’s 3-1 dismantling of Manchester United on Sunday wasn’t the only highlight. It was also seeing Fran Kirby come on as a second-half substitute, with the club’s all-time top scorer having recently spoken out about body image pressures in football. “Fran Kirby comes on and my girls just went crazy!” says Mahmood, who took her team to the match after taking up an invite from Brown Girl Sport, which advocates for south Asian girls in sport.
While you’re waiting for kick-off, why not read Suzanne Wrack on the consistently brilliant Aitana Bonmatí?
It’s all square in Malmö! Mai Kadowaki tucks away a smart finish for the hosts and it’s 2-2 now, which means Frankfurt would be back in with a mathematical chance.
Will Frankfurt’s hopes be ended before they’ve even begun? Benfica continue to lead in Sweden …
Teams
Barça Women are unchanged from the team that hammered Levante 7-0 to win the Spanish Super Cup last Saturday.
Barcelona Women: Coll, Bronze, Paredes, Engen, Batlle, Bonmati, Walsh, Guijarro, Hansen, Caldentey, Paralluelo. Substitutes: Pina, Torrejon, Vilamala, Oshoala, Brugts, Gemma Font, Dragoni, Lopez, Martina Fernandez, Corrales.
Eintracht Frankfurt Women: Johannes, Wolter, Doorsoun, Kleinherne, Hanshaw, Reuteler, Pawollek, Dunst, Anyomi, Freigang, Prasnikar. Substitutes: Grawe, Martinez, Brengel, Kirchberger, Ilayda Acikgoz, Johann, Riesen, Aehling, Veit, Bosl, Dilara Acikgoz.
Take a look at the table. If Benfica see out this 2-1 win in Malmö, Eintracht Frankfurt can pack their bags. They’re out.
Benfica have just scored again in Sweden. They lead Rosengård 2-1, so Eintracht Frankfurt are in danger of going out before they kick off against Barça …
Preamble
What are the permutations in Women’s Champions League Group A? Well here’s the thing: Barcelona are already through with four wins from four, while it looks as if Eintracht Frankfurt may be thrown a lifeline by Rosengård, who are currently drawing 1-1 with Benfica at fortress Malmö Idrottsplats.
Frankfurt simply need to better Benfica’s result this evening to stay in the hunt going into the final round of matches, so if Benfica don’t find a winner in Sweden, a draw or a victory against Barcelona would mean the Germans still have a chance.
Let’s do this. Kick-off: 8pm UK time.
