OL Lyonnes on Saturday reached the final of the UEFA Women’s Champions League at the expense of reigning champions Arsenal, with German forward Jule Brand scoring the decisive goal.
Brand’s deft finish in the 86th minute of the second leg at the Groupama Stadium gave Lyon a 3-1 victory on the day and a 4-3 advantage on aggregate.
Lyon had a long and nervous wait while the video assistant referee (VAR) officials examined whether Brand was offside when she received the pass, but she was marginally onside.
Photo: AP
The French side were deserved winners, turning their domination into a chance to win a ninth European title in the final in Oslo on May 23 against either Bayern Munich or Barcelona.
“We have played a very good game against one of the best teams in the world. The players did an amazing job and, for me, it’s amazing to have a chance to [coach] in another final,” Lyon coach Jonatan Giraldez, who won the competition twice with Barcelona, told Disney+.
Trailing 2-1 from the first leg, Lyon began with real intent, as their US international midfielder Lindsey Heaps headed the ball into the net after nine minutes, but VAR was called in for an apparent obstruction of Arsenal goalkeeper Daphne van Domselaar, and the goal was disallowed.
Lyon then won a penalty after a foul by Lotte Wubben-Moy on Melchie Dumornay.
Former France captain Wendie Renard saw her first effort from the spot saved, but Van Domselaar was adjudged to have been off her line, and Renard scored the re-taken penalty.
Lyon seized the lead in the tie in the 36th minute when the Arsenal defense failed to clear a corner, and Kadidiatou Diani clipped the ball in at the far post from a tight angle.
Arsenal were sliding toward a heartbreaking surrender of their title until England forward Alessia Russo popped up in a crowded penalty area to find the net.
That made the score 2-1 on the day and 3-3 overall, and extra-time beckoned — but Brand then applied the killer touch, and the French side hung on through nine minutes of added time.
“[Lyon] raised their levels today. They came out really strong,” Arsenal manager Renee Slegers told the BBC. “It was a very tight game with small margins, it’s a Champions League semi-final. Very disappointing for us, of course.”
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