Monday 19 April 2021

Paris Saint-Germain ends Lyon's stranglehold on Women's Champions League

 

 
For the first time in six seasons, there will be a new Women's Champions League winner. Paris Saint-Germain's stunning quarterfinal comeback against perennial champion Lyon finally ended one of the most dominant dynasties in modern football.
Lyon has won the last five Women's Champions League titles and during this season's competition had looked in imperious form, making itself favorite to win a sixth consecutive crown.
Trailing 1-0 from the first leg, PSG got off the worst possible start imaginable in Sunday's second leg as Catarina Macario gave Lyon the lead inside five minutes.
PSG now had a mountain to climb, but this side has been inching gradually closer to Lyon both domestically and in Europe over recent seasons.Grace Geyoro kick-started the comeback on the 26th minute, firing home brilliantly at the near post past the outstretched arm of Lyon goalkeeper Sarah Bouhaddi, before Wendy Renard's calamitous own goal gifted PSG the second goal it needed to level the tie at 2-2.
With the tie finely balanced and PSG heading through to the semifinals on the away goals rule, Lyon began to press relentlessly in search of a winner.
For all the pressure that teams had put Lyon under in the Champions League over recent years, there seemed to be an aura of invisibility that hovered around this team.
In the dying moments of the game, it looked as though Lyon would indeed continue its remarkable winning streak in this competition.
Renard's flicked header in the box found its way to Melvine Malard in front of goal, but the forward's effort was inexplicably kept out by the glove of PSG goalkeeper Christiane Endler.
Three of Lyon's players put their heads in their hands and Malard shot a look of sheer disbelief towards the team's bench, scarcely able to believe that shot had been kept out.

No comments:

Post a Comment