Melchie Dumornay scored an 82nd-minute winner as Lyon stunned Arsenal to win the first leg of their Women’s Champions League semi-final 2-1 at the Emirates.
Mariona Caldentey had equalised for the home side four minutes prior to the eventual winner after Arsenal, who struggled to replicate the form shown in their midweek 5-1 win over Leicester, had fallen behind to Kadidiatou Diani’s goal.
But after Calendtey’s penalty, Lyon’s front three caused further issues for Arsenal’s backline and Dumornay was on hand to steal the win on foreign soil ahead of the return leg next week.
“To let the second goal in like that is very frustrating.”@fara_williams47 reacts to Arsenal''s late defeat at the Emirates 📉
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Arsenal looked a shadow of the side which mounted a fightback from two-goals down against Real Madrid in the last round as Lyon took the lead in the 17th minute.
There was a sense of physical vulnerability from the Gunners’ back four against Lyon’s front three and this was demonstrated when Diani held her line, burst away from her marker and drilled her effort into the bottom left corner for 1-0.
Frida Maanum missing a free header from yards out summed up a frustrating start to proceedings for the north Londoners as Lyon continued their onslaught.
Lyon’s press prevented Arsenal from finding rhythm with their players accustomed to the luxury of sides sitting deep against them in the Women’s Super League.
After Selma Bacha and Dumornay pressured Emily Fox into a loose pass on halfway, Dumornay spotted Manuela Zinsberger off her line and speculatively tried to lob her, with her effort cannoning off the bar in what would have been a goal-of-the-competition contender.
Not long after, Arsenal through Alessia Russo were denied by the bar themselves and this set the tone for a rejuvenated spell after the break where they almost drew level.
However, they continued to rue missed opportunities against their well-drilled opponents, with Maanum once again failing to guide a free header on target after Beth Mead’s cross in the 61st.
But Arsenal’s best chance arrived in the 78th minute. A VAR review deemed Lyon goalkeeper Christiane Endler’s attempt to punch the ball instead connected with Leah Williamson as the Gunners were awarded a penalty.
The technical and composed Caldentey was the one to step up and she buried her spot kick into the bottom right corner as Arsenal finally put their poor first-half showing behind them with an equaliser.
But Lyon’s front three was a continuous threat and a single lapse of concentration to let the speedy Dumornay through the gap saw the striker steal the win with a drilled finish to the left of Zinsberger just four minutes later.
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