Previously beaten last Thursday in Wolfsburg (1-0), the Lyonnes OL managed to overturn the German club this Thursday evening at the Groupama Stadium (4-0, a.p.). The Fenottes will face Arsenal in the semi-finals of the competition, just like last season.
Before this Champions League quarter-final return match, Jonatan Giraldez had shown a lot of confidence: “We also need to look at the reality of our situation, in 36 games this season, we have only had a few draws and one defeat. This team is used to winning. We don’t need to revolutionize everything to win tomorrow (this Thursday). We just need to rely on our recent matches to find our balance,” warned the Catalan coach of OL.
His players showed that they had understood the message as the course of the match was clear: the ball and the chances for the Lyonnes OL, suffering for a dominated Wolfsburg team (which did not attempt a single shot in the first half against 16 for the home team). It was just after fifteen minutes of play that the Lyonnes OL equalized over the two matches, thanks to the goal scored by Lily Yohannes. Positioned back, the American controlled and shot from outside the penalty area and the ball, blocked by Minge, wrong-footed Johannes (16th). Suffocated, Wolfsburg went back to the locker room with only one goal conceded, which was quite fair given the dominance of the Lyonnes OL.
A rematch of last season’s semi-final
After the break, the Lyonnes OL continued to play their football, dominating possession (more than 60%). Korbin Shrader tested Stina Johannes with a shot from the edge of the area (54th) and the Wolfsburg goalkeeper then prevented Selma Bacha’s shot with a great save (57th). With their first shot of the match, Wolfsburg came close to a robbery but Levels’ shot was fortunately pushed away by a decisive Engler (77th). The Lyonnes OL then ran into an unbeatable Stina Johannes to deflect Selma Bacha’s free-kick (85th).
It took extra time during which Vicki Becho missed the target facing an empty goal (96th) and was flagged offside, therefore resulting in the disallowed goal for Marie-Antoinette Katoto (98th). Logically, OL finally scored the insurance goal from a corner following Stina Johannes’ unsuccessful exit, seizing the opportunity for Melchie Dumornay, the relieved scorer by a VAR decision even though she touched the ball with her arm to protect herself (2-0, 105th). Shortly after, the Lyonnes OL extended their lead thanks to Damaris Egurrola’s winning header (3-0, 106th) and the solo goal scored by Tabitha Chawinga (4-0, 119th). The Lyonnes OL will indeed play their 15th Champions League semi-final and it will be against Arsenal (April 25th and May 2nd). Arsenal, the defending European champions, eliminated the Lyonnes OL last season at the same stage of the tournament (2-1 ; 1-4).
