An evening to forget. Diminished by the absence of too many players, Lyon, defending champion, did not make weight at the opening of the Women’s Champions League and were routed 5-1 by Arsenal on Wednesday at home.
For this first match in the Group C record, OL were deprived of five players who had started the C1 final last spring against Barcelona. Ada Hegerberg, but also Griedge M’Bock, Sara Däbritz, Delphine Cascarino, Dzenifer Maroszan, Catarina Macario, Amel Majri, Vanessa Gilles and Ellie Carpenter, in particular, were absent and should not return soon, said coach Sonia Bompastor. And OL could not compete against the collective game and the speed of execution of the Londoners, also superior in the commitment. A finding also confirming the rise of English clubs.
Almost empty stadium
“The high level is a lot of efficiency and details. On the highlights of our match, we weren’t able to be killers to worry Arsenal. On the contrary, this good team by its individualities knew how to make us very badly”, recognized the technician.
In an enclosure of 60,000 places filled with only a few thousand spectators, Lyon thus quickly cracked. Caitlin Foord opened the scoring in the 13th minute with a cross delivered from the right wing by Beth Mead, before Frida Maanum widened the gap by taking a shot from Stina Blackstenius saved from the foot by goalkeeper Christiane Endler (2- 0, 22).
Beth Mead too strong
Admittedly, Melvine Malard gave hope to the eight-time European champions by being opportunistic on a volley from Lindsey Horan hitting the bar on receipt of a corner played by Selma Bacha (2-1, 27).
But the English Beth Mead, 2nd in the Ballon d’Or 2022 and best player of the Euro won with her selection in July, stunned Lyon by bringing the score to 3-1 by converting a direct free kick after a foul from Wendie Fox (45+1).
The latter, out of the game, is also involved, due to a bad recovery, on Arsenal’s fourth goal, scored by Foord (4-1, 67) before Beth Mead in turn scored a double (5 -1, 69).
React against Juventus
Shortly before half-time, Sonia Bompastor had tried a tactical reshuffle by pushing back Amandine Henry in central defense to bring Damaris Egurrola into the middle and shifting the young Alice Sombath as right-back. Without effect.
What to worry about for Olympique Lyonnais, under entry pressure before moving on October 27 to Juventus Turin, in strong progress and who had beaten Lyon last season in the quarter-finals first leg (2-1 ). The Italians went to win with the Swiss in Zurich (2-0) for their entry into the competition in C1.
“You will have to react. It’s not the competitive start we wanted at home. Tonight was not a decisive match. There are five games left to play. It’s up to us to do what is necessary to qualify,” admitted Bompastor.