Women’s Champions League: Arsenal Beat Lyon 2-1 In Semi-Final First Leg

Arsenal benefitted from defensive mistakes as they came from behind to beat Lyon 2-1 in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final.

Jule Brand fired Lyon in front with a superb solo effort in the 17th minute, before Mariona Caldentey’s free-kick was fumbled by Lyon goalkeeper Christiane Endler into the back of her own net.

Olivia Smith then ensured Arsenal will take an advantage into next weekend’s second leg when she passed into an empty net after a defensive mix-up.

Another defensive mix-up from Lyon allows Smith to give Arsenal the lead

Arsenal started on the front foot, but were stunned when Brand cut in from the left flank, spun away from Kim Little and drilled a shot into the corner of Daphne van Domselaar’s goal.

If the home side drifted to half-time, they began the second half with renewed energy and purpose.

Smith fired into the side-netting before Arsenal were awarded a penalty, but a video assistant referee (VAR) review concluded that Lyon captain Wendie Renard had won the ball when challenging Little.

Smith then looked certain to score when she met Katie McCabe’s cut-back from the byeline, but her first-time strike was kept out by the legs of Endler.

The Lyon goalkeeper went from hero to villain in the 58th minute when she took her eye off Caldentey’s delivery under pressure from Stina Blackstenius and inadvertently helped the ball on its way into the corner.

VAR allowed the goal to stand despite Renard’s claims that she was fouled as the cross came in.

From that point the game became stretched – Lyon winger Kadidiatou Diani smacked a shot off the crossbar when through on goal, before Smith pounced on a mix-up between Endler and Lyon defender Ingrid Engen to stroke the ball into the empty net for the winner.

The second leg will take place at Lyon’s Groupama Stadium on Saturday, 2 May.