BOV Women’s First Division champions Hibernians lost 5-0 to NSA Sofia of Bulgaria in the first match from the UEFA Women’s Champions League qualifying round Group 2 at the Cluj Arena in Cluj-Napoca, Romania on Saturday. This was the Paolites’ very-first appearance in European football as on previous occasions when they had won the championship, they had opted not to take part.

Hibernians controlled their opponents well for most of the first half but two minutes from half-time, Valentina Asenova broke the deadlock. Velina Koshuleva doubled the score on the hour and two minutes later, Asenova made it 3-0. Hibs were then unlucky to concede two own goals by Keoney Demicoli on the 81st and Shona Zammit on the 90th.
On Monday, Hibs face hosts Olimpia Cluj who lost 1-2 to Raheny United of Ireland on Saturday.

NSA SOFIA Roksana Shahanska, Evdokiya Popadiynova, Stanislava Tsekova, Iliyana Topalova, Valentina Asenova (85′ Yoana Papazova), Silvia Radoyska (69′ Kristin Krasteva), Velina Koshuleva, Nelly Atanasova, Simona Petkova, Monika Razhgeva, Valentina Gospodinova (80′ Mariyana Gagova).

HIBS Keoney Demicoli, Claire Sciberras (83′ Rebecca Vella), Martina Borg (74′ Corissa Vella), Sherianne Zammit, Dorianne Theuma, Ylenia Carabott, Shona Zammit, Dionne Tonna (78′ Ruth Steer Chetham), Mandy Debono, Rosalie Cauchi, Charlene Zammit.

Referee: Ana Minić (SRB)