Apollon Limassol secured a 2-1 victory over Vllaznia in the UEFA Women's Champions League second qualifying round finals on 8 August 2026. The match stretched into extra time before K. Freda's second goal settled the contest in Cyprus. Vllaznia had taken an early lead through M. Doci's sixth-minute strike, but the visitors regrouped after the interval.
That opening goal gave the Albanian side momentum, and they pressed forward with the advantage. Apollon made two substitutions at the start of the second half, bringing on M. Georgiou and F. Savva in an attempt to change the tempo. By then the hosts were looking comfortable, though the visitors were not yet ready to concede.
Apollon began to find their rhythm as the match progressed. K. Freda levelled in the seventy-fourth minute, and the momentum shifted decisively. The Croatian striker would not wait long for her second, striking again in the ninety-ninth minute to complete the turnaround.
The extra-time phase tested both sides, with Apollon making three substitutions between the ninety-second and ninety-eighth minutes. Vllaznia responded with changes of their own, bringing on S. Hardy and R. Leba in search of an equaliser. And here's the thing — the visitors held firm, closing out a hard-fought victory.
Statistics told a story of Apollon's superiority in certain areas. The visitors recorded ten shots on target compared to Vllaznia's five, with a higher accuracy rate of 0.56 to 0.45. Apollon also won ten corners to two, while enjoying 55 per cent possession against 45 per cent for the hosts. Both sides registered similar attack counts, with 138 for Apollon and 131 for Vllaznia.
The result ends Vllaznia's campaign in the qualifying rounds, coming after a mixed run of results. The Albanian side had drawn 3-3 with Czarni Sosnowiec in their previous outing, while Apollon have now advanced past the second qualifying round. The goal difference and overall performance suggest the Cypriot side are the stronger outfit, at least on this occasion.