Paris Saint-Germain secured qualification for the UEFA Women’s Champions League league phase on Wednesday evening, defeating Eintracht Frankfurt 5-1 after extra time at the Campus PSG in Poissy. Merveille Kanjinga and Sakina Karchaoui both scored twice for the French side, wrapping up a hard-fought 3e tour préliminaire victory that sees PSG join fellow domestic clubs Lyon and Paris FC in the next round.
Extra-Time Surge Secures Progress
The return leg required an intense extra thirty minutes after the aggregate score remained deadlocked through regulation. Paris found themselves under pressure throughout much of the regular match, playing in front of roughly 300 supporters from the Ultras groups stationed at the club’s training ground. Kanjinga opened the scoring in the 36th minute to give the hosts a narrow lead, but Frankfurt stayed resilient despite losing Australian forward Hayley Raso to a second yellow card in the 66th minute following a foul on Karchaoui.
Prior to that breakthrough, PSG goalkeeper Katarzyna Kiedrzynek kept her side ahead with a crucial fingertip save in the 57th minute. Tied on the night and aggregate, the match spilled into extra time, where the Parisian attack broke open the game.
Decisive Goals and Squad Challenges
Kanjinga restored the lead immediately after the restart of extra time, turning in a sharply delivered cross from an acute free-kick in the 95th minute. Karchaoui then took over, weaving through the defense to score unassisted in the 105th minute before converting a penalty kick in the 113th minute. Rasheedat Ajibade capped the 5-1 scoreline during stoppage time, tapping into an empty net to seal the aggregate win.
Head coach Paulo Cesar managed the fixture while dealing with notable roster constraints. Defenders Griedge Mbock and Olga Carmona missed the match due to muscular injuries sustained during the final pre-season preparation period, while midfielder Jackie Groenen was sidelined with a hamstring injury picked up during the first leg in Germany, which had ended in a 1-1 draw. Both Mbock and Groenen watched from the stands in Poissy as their teammates ground out the result.
Recent European Context and Roster Movements
The victory marks a welcome return to the group stages for PSG, which experienced a difficult European campaign during the 2024-2025 season after being eliminated at this exact preliminary stage by Juventus. Last term, the club finished 17th in the league phase with just two points from their final fixtures. Wednesday’s fixture also carried notable off-pitch developments: according to reports from French outlets, 28-year-old French international defender Elisa De Almeida appeared in what was her final match for PSG ahead of a reported transfer to Arsenal before the English transfer window closes.
What Comes Next
With their ticket punched to the UEFA Women’s Champions League league phase, Paris Saint-Germain will turn their focus back to domestic league commitments while awaiting the official draw to learn their upcoming European opponents. Share your thoughts on the match and PSG’s European prospects in the comments below.
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