Arsenal hosted Lyon at Meadow Park as their reigning champions title defence continued – It did go in favour of the North London side.
The lineups were:
Arsenal: Daphne Van Domselaar, Emily Fox, Katie Reid, Steph Catley, Taylor Hinds, Kim Little, Mariona Caldentey, Chloe Kelly, Frida Maanum, Beth Mead and Alessia Russo.
Lyon: Christiane Endler, Tarciane, Wendy Renard, Ingrid Engen, Salma Bacha, Korbin Albert, Lindsey Heaps, Kadidiatou Diani, Melchie Dumornay, Tabitha Chawinga and Marie-Antionette Katoto.
This match was full back Taylor Hind’s Champions League debut since resigning for the home side.
Lyon gave Arsenal a physical match, giving them a good challenge which ultimately ended up going into the vistors favour.
In the 4th minute we saw the first yellow card – It was handed to Katoto after she took down Catley in a poorly executed challenge.
It didn’t take the Gunners long to open their goal scoring account for this edition of the Women’s Champions League.
Mead battled her way through Lyon’s back line to set up Russo as she sent the ball into the bottom right corner with a clinical finish.
A straight forward save came for Van Domeslaar in the 8th minute and it was looking strong for the London club.
9 minutes after a couple corners from Lyon and some battles in midfield – Lyon got their equaliser.
A error from Domeslaar gifted the ball to Dumornay who calmly put her side back into the game.
A short 4 minutes later Arsenal were caught sleeping – it was Dumornay again.
The forward put the ball in the back of the net giving her side the lead over the team who once emabarrased her club at home the season before.
The rest of the first half was fairly quiet with a couple corners and free kicks being awarded to both teams.
Arsenal were handed their first yellow card through Beth Mead who took down Tarciane in a risky tackle leading to an attacking push from Lyon.
A minute of extra time was added but neither team could produce in that time.
As the second half kicked off, Arsenal were being completely shut down and Lyon were running circles around them.
Bacha crosses for her side but no one is there to put them 3-1 up.
Endler saves a strong effort from Caldentey in the 53rd minute and everything was left to play for.
The first subsitutions of the game came – Mead and Kelly came off for Arsenal with Olivia Smith and Caitlin Foord coming on to boulster the Reds attack.
As the second half continued there was a constant battle in the midfield with both teams still pressing for another goal.
66th minute brought an injury check on Joseph and the game was halted.
Shortly following, Lyon made two changes, Heaps and Joseph made way for Damaris Egurrola and Jule Brandt.
8 minutes later, in attempt of finding that equaliser, Arsenal made two more subs.
Caldentey and Russo came off to make way for Kyra Cooney-Cross and Stina Blackstenius.
A minute later, the all time UWCL goalscorer, Ada Hegerberg came on for Katoto and youngster Lily Yohannes replaced Shrader.
Tariane got booked in the 77th minute after a risky and unkept challenge on Olivia Smith.
Another booking occured 5 minutes later, Frida Maanum was shown a yellow card for a foul on Bacha but also for dissent to the ref – the same reason her teammate, Beth Mead, was booked for earlier in the game.
Arsenal’s Katie McCabe replaced Taylor Hinds to help with any effort with finding an equaliser.
6 minutes of injury time was added on top of the full 90 minutes.
It was back and forth in midfield area as both teams pressed for another goal but both were unsuccessful in this effort.
The two time tournament champions, Arsenal, were denied a perfect start to the 25/26 campaign by the all time leading winners of the UEFA Women’s Champions League.
Lyon next face St Polten at home which should be an easy fixture to maintain their 100% perfect start.
Arsenal will travel to Benfica to try and rectify their campaign to go back-to-back in the competition.
