Manchester United opened their Champions League qualifying campaign with a 4-0 win over PSV, powered by Elisabeth Terland's hat-trick and a close-range finish from Celin Bizet. The victory guarantees European football at minimum in the new second-tier Women's Europa Cup, while the club aims for Champions League qualification alongside Arsenal and Chelsea. United will face Hammarby or Metalist 1925 Kharkiv in the mini-group final in Stockholm's 3Arena, with a win leading to a two-leg September tie for entry to the expanded Champions League phase. United dominated early with a high press; Lisa Naalsund intercepted and assisted the opener, and summer signing Julia Zigiotti Olme struck the post on her debut.
The Women's Super League side took total control very early, giving PSV's players scarcely any time on the ball with a well-orchestrated high press, and their tactics led to the opening goal. The United midfielder Lisa Naalsund, pressing the PSV defence, capitalised on a loose pass, intercepted the ball and slotted an easy pass across to Terland, who had space and time to tuck a good finish into the bottom right corner with less than seven minutes played.
Terland's classy treble, which was accompanied by a close-range finish from Celin Bizet, guaranteed Marc Skinner's side some form of European football because their worst-case scenario would now be a place in the new second-tier Women's Europa Cup. Their aim, however, is to join Arsenal and Chelsea in the Champions League and, on Wednesday's evidence, they have a strong chance of doing so.
#manchester-united-women #elisabeth-terland #womens-champions-league-qualification #womens-super-league
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