Page 6 - Women's Soccer Scene Issue No.14 2022-23

Arsenal have booked their place in the knockout stages of
the UEFA Women’s Champions League, but it was something
of a bittersweet night for them as they lost 1-0 to reigning
Champions Olympique Lyonnais at the Emirates
Stadium.
The Gunners had triumphed 5-1 when the teams had
met on the opening day of the group stages and they had the
better of the earlier chances, with Lotte Wubben-Moy looping a header over the bar
halfway through the first half and a Laura Wienroither cross narrowly eluded Katie
McCabe at the far post.
A bad few minutes for Arsenal, as first half injury time commenced, began with Lyon
taking the lead. Selma Bacha played a free kick into the area from deep and although
Wubben-Moy initially made a good challenge, Danielle van de Donk headed the ball
goalwards and Frida Maanum bundled it into her own net whilst trying to clear.
Things got even worse a minute later as star striker Vivianne Miedema fell
awkwardly whilst trying to intercept a pass and was stretchered from the field with what
looked like a serious injury. The distressed looks on her team mates’ faces seemed to tell
the whole story.
A change of formation at half time, with Leah Williamson being pushed forward into
midfield, helped Arsenal push forward after the break but they were unable to find a way
through a well drilled Lyon defence which was well marshalled by Wendie Renard.
Arsenal introduced Lina Hurtig as a late substitute and the change almost paid off in
the dying minutes as a corner was half cleared and Hurtig’s shot through a crowd of
players was blocked on the line by Alice Sombath, Stina Blackstenius followed up and her
deflected effort was saved by Cristiane Endler as Lyon held on for three important points.
Defeat for Arsenal on the night but the one-goal margin means that they are
guaranteed a top two spot in the group.
In the other match, Cristiana Girelli scored four times and Lisa Boattin added the
other as Juventus ran out 5-0 winners over FC Zurich Frauen. This means that
Juventus will play Lyon in the final match to decide who will be the second team to go
through whilst Arsenal will travel to Zurich next Wednesday, needing a win to confirm
themselves as group winners.
In Group D, Barcelona secured GROUP A P W D L F A Pts GD
CHELSEA 4 3 1 0 12 1 10
their quarter final place by winning 6-2 PARIS SAINT GERMAIN 4 2 1 1 9 1 7
away to Benfica with goals from Irene REAL MADRID 4 1 2 1 3 3 5
Parades, Claudia Pina, Aitana Bonmati, VLLAZNIA 4 0 0 4 0 19 0
Ana-Maria Crnogorcevic, Mariona GROUP B P W D L F A Pts
VFL WOLFSBURG 4 3 1 0 11 3 10
Caldentey and an own goal. Bayern ROMA 4 2 1 1 8 8 7
Munich are also through, Tainara, ST POLTEN 4 1 1 2 5 9 4
Sydney Lohmann, Georgia Stanway and SLAVIA PRAGUE 4 0 1 3 1 5 1
Julia Landenberger all scoring in their GROUP C P W D L F A Pts
ARSENAL 5 3 1 1 10 4 10
4-0 victory over FC Rosengard. OLYMPIQUE LYONNAIS 5 3 1 1 10 6 10
Chelsea meanwhile travel to play
JUVENTUS 5 2 2 1 9 3 8
Vllaznia on Friday night, knowing that FC ZURICH FRAUEN 5 0 0 5 1 17 0
they will join Arsenal in the last eight if GROUP D P W D L F A Pts
they avoid defeat whilst a win would BARCELONA 5 4 0 1 23 6 12
BAYERN MUNICH 5 4 0 1 12 7 12
secure them top spot if Paris Saint- SL BENFICA 5 2 0 3 8 19 6
Germain fail to beat Real Madrid. FC ROSENGARD 5 0 0 5 3 14 0
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