OL Lyonnes came from behind to claim a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Arsenal in their opening UEFA Women’s Champions League group stage match. The French side recovered from an early goal by Russo, with Dumornay scoring twice to turn the game around. Despite Arsenal’s bright start and early pressure, OL Lyonnes controlled the match after taking the lead, with Endler making crucial saves to secure the win and keep the Gunners at bay.
Match Highlights
- Arsenal take an early lead as Russo scores, assisted by Beth Mead.
- Dumornay equalizes in the 18th minute after an error by Van Domselaar.
- Five minutes later, Dumornay scores again giving OL Lyonnes a 2-1 lead.
- Endler makes a crucial fingertip save to deny Caldentey’s effort.
- Katoto comes close to a third for Lyonnes, but her tap-in goes just wide.
- Player of the Match: Dumornay
Arsenal Open the Scoring
OL Lyonnes started the match strongly, immediately pushing Arsenal back into their own half and pressing relentlessly up to goalkeeper van Domselaar. The early intensity resulted in a yellow card for Katoto following a foul on Steph Catley, which briefly interrupted OL Lyonnes’ momentum.
Arsenal quickly capitalized on the stoppage. Russo and Caldentey combined effectively near the OL Lyonnes box, creating early opportunities and opening the scoring. Beth Mead showed composure at the edge of the box despite being surrounded by four OL Lyonnes players, finding Russo unmarked in the penalty area. Russo made no mistake, slotting the ball home to give the Gunners an early lead.
OL Lyonnes responded in the 18th minute following a costly error from van Domselaar. Her attempted pass intended for Catley went straight to Dumornay, who fired at goal. Van Domselaar initially saved the shot, but the rebound fell perfectly back to Dumornay, allowing her to tap it in and level the score at 1-1.
Dumornay Takes the Lead
Just five minutes later, OL Lyonnes turned the game around. Dumornay again capitalized on sloppy defensive work, met the ball at the edge of the box, sending it into the top corner for a 2-1 lead. Van Domselaar was caught off guard and made no attempt to stop the finish.
Arsenal sought an immediate response, but OL Lyonnes’ goalkeeper Endler was alert, making a vital save in the 25th minute to preserve the lead. Van Domselaar later redeemed herself somewhat, making four crucial saves before half-time to keep Arsenal in the contest.
Endler Keeps Lyonnes Ahead
The second half began with Arsenal searching for an equalizer, but Endler was quick to respond, producing a spectacular fingertip save to deny Caldentey’s long-range effort.
Renée Slegers made her first substitutions in the 55th minute, bringing on Foord for Kelly and Smith for Mead, looking to inject fresh energy into Arsenal’s attack. Shortly after the hour mark, Jonatan Giraldez made a change of his own, replacing Chawinga with 19-year-old Joseph, who had already scored three goals in the French competition.
However, Joseph’s involvement was short-lived. She collided with Maanum, and a misstep caused an awkward movement to the inside of her knee. She was forced off, with Damaris and Brand replacing her while Heaps also left the pitch.
OL Lyonnes came close to extending their lead soon after, but Katoto’s tap-in went just wide, leaving Arsenal fortunate to remain within one goal.
Arsenal Try to Force the Equalizer
Arsenal continued to shuffle their line-up: Stina Blackstenius replaced Russo, and Caldentey made way for Cooney-Cross in the 75th minute, while Schrader and Katoto were substituted for Yohannes and Hegerberg.
The pace of the second half was slower than the first, with fewer attacking flashes. OL Lyonnes controlled possession and limited Arsenal’s chances. Foord struggled against Bacha, Tarciane kept Smith in check, and Renard and Engen focused on neutralizing Russo and later Blackstenius.
Arsenal’s final substitution saw Hinds replaced by McCabe, but despite six minutes of added time, the Gunners could not find a way back into the game. After a disappointing start to the WSL, Arsenal also fell in their opening Women’s Champions League fixture, leaving OL Lyonnes with a hard-fought 2-1 victory.
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