Lyon qualify for Women’s Champions League final with semi-final win over PSG

Although they were trailing by a goal halfway into their Champions League semi-final tie against Lyon, PSG’s impressive home record this season – unbeaten since November – will have given them reason to believe ahead of this Sunday’s second leg at the Parc des Princes.

Last week’s first leg had seen Jocelyn Prêcheur’s side take a two-goal lead, with Marie-Antoinette Katoto scoring either side of half-time. Just as PSG looked to be heading towards a first win over their arch-rivals in five games, though, Lyon staged a six-minute comeback in the closing stages of the game – with Diani, Dumornay, and Majri all finding the net to turn the tie on its head.

At the Parc des Princes, the visitors would waste no time in extending their overall lead. Two minutes in, Selma Bacha caught out Constance Picaud – who was ostensibly expecting a cross to the back post from the full-back – with a long-range strike that crept through and into the bottom right corner. 

PSG would dominate possession throughout the first half, but fell short of cutting through a resilient Lyon defence. Instead, it was Sonia Bompastor’s side who came close to doubling their lead on the day. Van de Donk was almost handed a one-on-one chance by Dumornay on the half-hour mark – the Haitian’s through ball coming up just short of the fomer Arsenal midfielder – while a reflex save from Picaud at her near post kept a deflected Cascarino cross out a few minutes later.

As has often been the case this season, it was Tabitha Chawinga who eventually found a way through for the hosts, the Malawi forward finding the far corner from a tight angle after Lyon lost possession in midfield. Les Fenottes would be denied a swift response by another improbable Picaud stop, this time from