PSG, Barcelona ease into WCL semis

PARIS: Paris St Germain beat Sweden’s BK Hacken 5-1 on aggregate and Barcelona knocked out Norwegian side SK Brann 5-2 over two legs to reach the last four of the women’s Champions League on Thursday.

PSG will face Olympique Lyonnais, who beat Benfica 6-2 on aggregate, in an all-French semi-final, while Barcelona take on Chelsea, who overcame Ajax Amsterdam 4-1 on aggregate to set up a repeat of the 2021 final which the Spanish side won 4-0.

Leading 2-1 from the first leg in Gothenburg, PSG increased their advantage through a first-half Tabitha Chawinga goal, and the French side added two more after the break to cruise to a comfortable 3-0 victory over Hacken.

In Thursday’s early game, champions Barcelona held off the brave challenge of Brann to win 3-1 at home and 5-2 on aggregate. Aitana Bonmati opened the scoring with a superb first-half effort and Fridolina Rolfo added a second in the 56th minute after great work by Norwegian winger Caroline Graham Hansen.

Brann pulled a goal back through 18-year-old substitute Tomine Svendheim, but Hansen was again the instigator as she teed up Patricia Guijarro for a late goal to see Barcelona safely through to the semis.