Odense has now lost four matches in the Champions League, and advancing from the group stage is far from certain.
While the club is currently among the top six in Group B—which qualify for the knockout phase—they are only two points ahead of Nykobing Falster , who sit on the wrong side of the qualification line. Three group matches remain.
The first half was a mixed bag for Odense; they started well, but after about ten minutes, the French defense found its footing, and Odense suddenly struggled to find any solutions in the attacking end.
Metz took the lead but then Odense woke up. Viola Leuchter was brought on at right back and, almost single-handedly, put the Danes back in front with three successful long-range strikes.
Odense went into the break with a narrow lead, but that advantage was quickly overturned in favor of the French side early in the second half.
Odense committed far too many errors, which Metz exploited ruthlessly—including a three-minute stretch just after the break which they won 4–0.
Ingvild Bakkerud stood out as the best Odense player over the course of the match; the Norwegian defender did everything she could to keep her team in the contest.
Halfway through the second half, she scored her ninth goal to level the score at 25–25, and her energy proved crucial during a phase where Odense regained momentum and took the lead.
Things looked promising for Odense, but everything fell apart again in the final stages, allowing Metz to secure the win.