Arsenal Womens Beat OL Lyonnes 2-1 in Comeback Win
Arsenal Womens came from behind to beat OL Lyonnes 2-1 at home in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final. The result gives Arsenal a first-leg advantage after a match they had to solve as it went on.
Renée Slegers and Arsenal
Renée Slegers praised Arsenal’s problem-solving skills after the comeback win. “It definitely is [a strength],” she said. “The intelligence that we have in the squad. Being on the pitch, seeing and feeling it, is so valuable, then we see the pitch from above, technical views, which has a lot of value as well, to see the spaces. Seeing and feeling it. That collaboration of both perspectives is really good.”
Arsenal were made to work hard in the first half against OL Lyonnes, then looked rampant after the break. Ada Hegerberg called it “a game of two halves,” which matched the way the contest changed after Arsenal adjusted mid-match.
Lyonnes and last season
The scoreline also echoed last season’s route to the trophy, when Arsenal lost 2-1 at home to Lyonnes in the semi-final first leg and won 4-1 away in the return leg. This time, the home leg went Arsenal’s way, and the same tie now carries a different kind of pressure for the second meeting.
Arsenal seemed to have condensed their between-legs problem-solving process and unlocked Lyonnes weaknesses on Sunday. That left them with the result they needed, and with the memory of last season’s comeback still sitting inside the tie.
Barcelona and Brighton
Elsewhere in the women’s game, Barcelona drew 1-1 away to Bayern Munich in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final. Franziska Kett was sent off late for pulling Salma Paralluelo’s hair, while Alexia Putellas said, “adapt our game,” after the match.
Brighton also beat Manchester City 3-2 in the league. Madison Haley scored Brighton’s equaliser deep into first-half injury time before Kiko Seike gave them the lead two minutes after the restart, a result that adds more pressure to City’s title-clinching path if Arsenal keep winning.
