Lyon booked a meeting with Barcelona in Bilbao on May 25 in the UEFA Women’s Champions League final by winning 2-1 in Paris to seal a 5-3 aggregate victory.
The brilliant Melchie Dumornay finished PSG off with a superb goal in the 81st minute. Even before that, when there was only one goal between the sides, Lyon kept PSG at arm’s length with a formidably good defensive performance.
Selma Bacha had given Lyon an early lead in the second leg, surprising Constance Picaud at the near post following a short corner. PSG equalised – and halved the aggregate deficit – just before the break with their only shot on target of the whole the game, an emphatic finish from the tireless Tabitha Chawinga.
That seemed to set up an explosive second half. But Lyon’s class and experience – especially their winning experience – were the difference. After a number of near misses, including a couple of fine saves from Picaud, Dumornay landed the decisive blow.
It was another near miss for PSG, who just can’t get past Lyon in Ligue 1 or the WCL. The story is painfully familiar. Two years ago, at the same stage, Lyon beat PSG 5-3 on aggregate after winning 3-2 at home and 2-1 away. They will hope history continues to repeat: they beat Barcelona 3-1 in the final that year.
On May 14, 2015, in front of 17,147 people in Berlin, FFC Frankfurt beat Paris Saint-Germain in the Women’s Champions League final. Since then every WCL has been won by either Lyon or Barcelona, and that sequence will continue in 2023-24.
More to follow.