We’re 2-1 down on aggregate following the first leg of the UEFA Women’s Champions League against Lyon on Saturday.
Kadidiatou Diani gave Lyon a 17th-minute lead at Emirates Stadium, but Mariona Caldentey equalised from the penalty spot late on.
We were only level for four minutes though, as Melchie Dumornay put Lyon ahead again with eight minutes remaining.
What happened
Frida Maanum shot straight at Christiane Endler in the game’s opening exchanges, before Selma Bacha tried her luck from distance. Manuela Zinsberger was equal to it and Diani struck into the side netting on the follow up.
Maanum’s next effort met the same fate, and it was Lyon who broke the deadlock moments later as Diani fired into the bottom left corner on the break. It was initially flagged offside but, following a VAR check, the goal was given.
Dumornay shot wide of the bottom right corner form distance before, at the other end, we had our best opportunity of the first half when Caitlin Foord switched the play to Beth Mead, who headed the ball back across goal, only for Maanum to head wide from close range.
Hearts were in mouths when Lyon won the ball in our half in the 33rd minute, allowing Dumornay to lob Zinsberger and hit the crossbar from about 30 yards out.
We almost pulled one back on the brink of half-time when Mead’s short free-kick saw McCabe put a ball into the box for Alessia Russo to head onto the bar. McCabe was then pushed down in the 18-yard box but the referee didn’t see enough to award a penalty.
We looked lively from the start of the second half, Foord’s effort saved from close range and Russo’s follow up cleared off the line after we’d worked the ball into a dangerous area.
Lindsey Heaps then struck a free-kick over our wall, but it was a comfortable save for Zinsberger, before Maanum’s cross into the box was headed just over the bar by Mead.
Mariona’s cross was then headed back across goal by Mead, just evading Maanum at the far post, before the two players made way for Chloe Kelly and Stina Blackstenius.
The latter almost made an impact in the 74th minute when she met a McCabe corner, but headed wide of the far post. It seemed as though that was that, until the referee went over to the VAR monitor after she was alerted to a punch to Leah Williamson’s head by Endler.
Mariona stepped up for the spot-kick, slotting into the bottom right corner to equalise.
But Lyon restored their lead just four minutes later, Dumornay racing through on goal and firing past Zinsberger for 2-1.
What’s next
The second leg takes place at Groupama Stadium at 5pm on Sunday, April 27, before we return to Barclays Women’s Super League action away to Aston Villa at 6pm on Wednesday, April 30.
Line-ups
Arsenal XI: Zinsberger, Fox, Williamson, Catley, McCabe, Little (C), Mariona, Maanum (Blackstenius 62), Mead (Kelly 62), Russo (Pelova 83), Foord (Walti 83)
Substitutes (not used): Williams, Ilestedt, Reid, Nighswonger, Cooney-Cross, Kafaji
Lyon XI: Endler, Carpenter, Gilles, Sombath, Bacha (Svava 90+2), Horan, Egurrola, van de Donk (Majri 67), Diani (Becho 90+2), Dumornay, Chawinga (Hegerberg 78)
Substitutes (not used): Huerta, Renard, Nelhage, Dabritz, Le Sommer, Marozsan, Benkarth, Tarciane
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