Key Points
- Lyon beat Arsenal Women 3-1 in the second leg on 2 May, winning 4-3 on aggregate to reach the Women’s Champions League final in Oslo.
- Wendie Renard opened the scoring from a re-taken penalty after Lotte Wubben-Moy fouled Melchie Dumornay—Van Domselaar’s initial save was ruled out as the goalkeeper was off her line.
- Kadidiatou Diani added a second from a corner on 36 minutes to put Lyon ahead on aggregate at halftime.
- Alessia Russo pulled one back for Arsenal to level the tie at 3-3 on aggregate.
- Jule Brand struck in the 86th minute from a Dumornay pass to settle the contest, surviving a VAR offside check.
- Arsenal had won the first leg 2-1 at the Emirates on 26 April through an Olivia Smith goal.
- Lyon advance to their 12th Women’s Champions League final and will face either Bayern Munich or Barcelona in Oslo on 23 May.
- Melchie Dumornay was named Player of the Match.
Arsenal Women‘s defence of the UEFA Women’s Champions League title is over. Jule Brand struck with four minutes remaining at the Groupama Stadium on Saturday to send Lyon through 4-3 on aggregate, ending North London’s hopes of becoming the first side to retain the trophy in the modern era.
Arsenal arrived in Lyon carrying a 2-1 advantage and the memory of what had happened on this same ground twelve months ago, a stunning 4-1 comeback that had launched them towards their first ever Champions League title. On Saturday, Lyon were in no mood to let history repeat itself.
The hosts came out transformed. The returning Dumornay was immediately dangerous and drew a penalty after being fouled by Wubben-Moy in the 16th minute. Renard’s initial effort was brilliantly saved by Van Domselaar, but the referee ordered a retake after judging the goalkeeper to have been off her line. Renard went the same way, and this time the Arsenal stopper could not keep it out. The tie was level on aggregate.
Lyon doubled their second-leg advantage on 36 minutes when a corner from the left found Diani, who guided the ball in at the back post. At half-time, Arsenal were two down on the day and trailing on aggregate. Yup, the comeback dream was fading.
The second half brought fresh hope. Substitute Smilla Holmberg sent in a looping ball, and Russo, under pressure from two Lyon defenders, turned it into the net to level the tie at 3-3 on aggregate. With extra time looming, the match hung in the balance.
Then came Brand. Receiving a perfectly weighted pass from Dumornay, the German winger calmly controlled and fired into the net. A VAR offside check followed agonising minutes for Arsenal players and fans alike, but the goal stood. Lyon held firm, and the Gunners were out.
Arsenal manager Renée Slegers was measured in defeat.
“Lyon raised their levels today. They came out really strong,”
she told the BBC. She acknowledged that the returning Dumornay and Bacha had been world-class and that, despite Arsenal’s belief going into the match, Lyon were ultimately the better side on the night.
Leah Williamson reflected on a painful evening.
“Lyon are a tough team to play against. They were good today, and we didn’t quite match that in the first half,”
she said.
