Malta international Haley Bugeja played a decisive role as Inter Women reached the UEFA Women’s Champions League league phase for the first time in the club’s history.
Inter overturned a 2-0 first-leg defeat against Wolfsburg, winning the return match 3-1 after extra time before taking the tie 5-4 on penalties. UEFA confirmed that the result secured Inter a debut place in the competition’s league phase.
Bugeja delivers when Inter need it most
With Inter leading 2-0 in the second leg, Wolfsburg scored during extra time to regain the advantage in the tie. Inter needed another goal and found it in the final moments.
Bugeja controlled the ball following a corner and picked out Marija Milinković, who scored in the 121st minute to make it 3-1 and send the tie to penalties.
The 22-year-old Maltese forward then stepped up during the shootout and converted Inter’s second penalty. Goalkeeper Cecilía Rán Rúnarsdóttir later saved Wolfsburg’s fifth attempt before Ivana Andrés scored the decisive penalty.
A historic European night for Inter
The result completed an extraordinary turnaround against Wolfsburg, who have twice won Europe’s leading women’s club competition. Inter had lost 2-0 in Germany before Elisa Bartoli and Elisa Polli scored in the return leg to force extra time.
For Bugeja, the achievement adds another major European milestone to a career that continues to put a Maltese footballer on one of the sport’s biggest stages.
Inter will now be among the 18 clubs in the league phase. The draw takes place on Friday 4 September, with the opening matches scheduled for 22 and 23 September.
