Jenni Hermoso sends Barcelona closer to the Women's Champions League quarter-finals

Things are not what they once were. Playing in the Women's Champions League used to be an achievement in itself – something to enjoy with no great expectations. But now FC Barcelona are looking for more. After knocking out FC Minsk in the last 32, Xavi Llorens's charges have beating FC Twente in their sights. And they got the first part of the job done this evening. Jenni Hermoso gave the Blaugranas the victory, and her goal was more than worthy of the elite competition.

 [HIGHLIGHTS] L'1-0 al @FCTwenteVrouwen amb un gol de @JenniHermoso per recordar @UWCL #FEMFutbol https://t.co/Rw1JfLu681

— FCB Femení (@FCBfemeni) November 9, 2016

The Dutch side were knocked out in the last 16 by their Catalan opponents last season. However, Barcelona made a slow start, and it was Twente who got out of the blocks better and dominated possession.

Despite being without their best player, Renate Jansen, Twente dictated the game in the opening minutes. But that was as long as Jenni was willing to put up with. She really is one of a kind. Nine minutes in, she brought the ball down in the area and – all within a yard of space – dinked it over her marker with her left foot before volleying it into the top corner with her (weaker) right. If the Dutch side were unaware of her quality going into the game, they have no excuses now.

It was all Barcelona from that moment on, as if the referee had restarted the match. Twente crawled back into their shells, while Barça took control. Jenni, the woman of the match, did everything right. She put Alexia Putellas through with only the keeper to beat on 24 minutes, but Putellas procrastinated, allowing the Twente defence to recover and put the ball out for a corner. The first half ended with Barcelona firmly on top.

Having struggled to get on the ball in the aftermath of the goal, in the second half Twente hardly had a sniff. Hermoso and Putellas sprayed possession around at will. In the 54th minute, Putellas produced one of the best pieces of play of the match, bursting to the byline, nutmegging a defender and pulling the ball back for Olga Garcia, who failed to find the net. All the while, the visitors remained subdued, hardly creating anything of note and only attempting the odd foray towards Sandra Paños's goal, although they kept it tight in defence.

With a second goal proving elusive, Llorens brought on Barbara Latorre to add extra spark and directness. Hermoso subsequently came close to doubling her own personal tally as well as the scoreline, shaving the post with an effort half an hour from time, and then the substitution almost paid dividends on 74 minutes, when Latorre had a goal disallowed for a foul on a defender.

A save from the keeper denied Latorre again in the 82nd minute and Barça ultimately proved unable to press home their advantage and secure the more emphatic victory that their performance warranted. As it is, Llorens's team will take a slender 1-0 lead to the Netherlands for the second leg next Wednesday, which kicks off at 19:00 CET.