Austrian Clubs Eliminated from Women’s Europa Cup After Defeats Against Malmö and Wolfsburg
The Women’s Europa Cup will proceed to the round of 16 without Austrian representation after SKN St. Pölten and Sturm Graz suffered decisive aggregate exits in the second qualifying round on Wednesday. St. Pölten fell 3-0 on the night to Malmö FF in Sweden, bowing out 5-0 on aggregate, while Sturm Graz dropped a 2-0 decision at home to VfL Wolfsburg to finish with a 8-1 aggregate defeat.
St. Pölten Falls Short in Swedish Capital After Early Setbacks
Entering the second leg with a 2-0 deficit from home, SKN St. Pölten manager Laurent Fassotte had stressed the importance of scoring first to shift the momentum. Those hopes were dashed early at Malmö FF. Ellen Löfqvist opened the scoring for the hosts in the eighth minute following an assist from Hlin Eiriksdöttir. Tuva Skoog, who excelled in the first leg, added a second goal off a feed from Isabella D’Aquila just 20 minutes later to effectively seal the tie.
Despite creating several openings, the Austrian Bundesliga league leaders failed to capitalize in the final third across the 180 minutes of play. Malmö sealed the 3-0 scoreline in the 58th minute when Skoog and D’Aquila reversed roles, with D’Aquila finding the back of the net. Malmö shrugged off a recent 3-1 domestic league defeat to mid-table side Brommapojkarna to dominate the matchup.
Reflecting on the exit, SKN captain Jennifer Klein admitted the performance fell short of what was required. Manager Fassotte noted that while his side created chances across both legs, Malmö proved superior and faster in exploiting their opportunities. The early European exit leaves St. Pölten to refocus on domestic competition, with a league fixture against Sturm Graz scheduled for Sunday at 14:00 local time.
Sturm Graz Fights Hard Against Wolfsburg in Liebenau
Sturm Graz faced a steep uphill battle in their second leg against German powerhouse VfL Wolfsburg after absorbing a heavy 6-1 defeat in the opening match. Operating under a disciplined defensive strategy designed by coach Tode Djakovic, the Graz side kept the visitors largely at bay before a dead-ball situation broke the deadlock just before halftime. Lou Bogaert curled a precise free kick over the wall and into the corner in the 32nd minute.
Played before 1,649 spectators at the Stadion Graz-Liebenau, goalkeeper Vanessa Gritzner kept the scoreline respectable with a string of impressive saves. Wolfsburg eventually added a second goal in the 84th minute through substitute Anny Kerim-Lindland, securing a 2-0 victory on the night and an 8-1 aggregate triumph.
European Aspirations Turn to Domestic Resumption
With both Austrian clubs eliminated, Friday’s round of 16 draw will proceed without local interest. Last season saw Austria Wien advance to the quarterfinals of the competition, though the Vienna side is competing in the UEFA Women’s Champions League this term. Attention for both St. Pölten and Sturm Graz now shifts entirely to domestic league play, beginning with their upcoming clash on Sunday afternoon.
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