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

An incredible night at the Groupama Stadium saw Arsenal achieve a resounding 5-1 victory
against UEFA Women’s Champions League holders Olympique Lyonnais.
Doubles from Beth Mead and Caitlin Foord, plus another goal from Frida Maanum was
what it took to score the most goals ever against Lyon on their home turf.
Arsenal started on the front foot against the French giants and after only a minute
played, Caitlin Foord cleverly played Frida Maanum into the box, who had their first shot on
target.
After 12 minutes, a lofted ball from Kim Little found Mead in plenty of space down the
right wing. Her teasing cross into the area found Foord who rifled past Christiane Endler to
give Arsenal the lead.
It was thanks to Lia Walti’s vision in midfield that the Gunners another goal shortly
afterwards, as she spotted Stina Blackstenius' well timed run through the lines. The Swedish
striker sped into the area and although Endler stopped her initial strike, the rebound landed
right for Maanum who slotted in the bottom right hand corner with an ice-cold finish.
The French champions responded aggressively and their immediate pressure paid off.
A corner whipped in from the left was eventually bundled in by Melvine Malard just before
the half-hour mark.
Minutes before half time, Wendie Renard clipped Blackstenius as she attempted to
make her way into the area and from the resulting free kick, Mead stepped up to drive the ball
low into the corner past Endler’s outstretched hand to give Arsenal a 3-1 lead at the interval.
The second half commenced with both sides enjoying creative spells in the opposition's
half. However it was Arsenal who were to strike once again, as a wayward pass from Renard
in her own half gifted Foord the ball with acres of space on the edge of the area. The Australian
forward took a touch before unleashing a delicate strike into the top right corner for the fourth.
Less than a minute later Mead pounced for her second goal of the night, capping off a
confident and complete team performance that places her team firmly on top of Group C.
The following night, Chelsea were in action for the first time in the competition and also
travelled to France, to face Paris Saint-Germain and returned home with a 1-0 victory under
their belts.
Prior to kick off, the weather took a turn for the worse with thunder, rain and lightning
before the start, but a couple of quickfire chances fell Chelsea’s way early on, Guro Reiten’s
free kick in a was blocked by the wall before Sam Kerr turned her marker neatly inside the
box, only to be denied by PSG goalkeeper Sarah Bouhaddi.
On 27 minutes, the Blues were
GROUP A P W D L F A Pts GD
rewarded for their patience and broke the
REAL MADRID 1 1 0 0 2 0 3 14
deadlock courtesy of Millie Bright. Erin CHELSEA 1 1 0 0 1 0 3 5
Cuthbert, who had been excellent in the PARIS SAINT GERMAIN 1 0 0 1 0 1 0 10
opening half hour, floated a cross to the VLLAZNIA 1 0 0 1 0 2 0 1
far post for Bright, who earned herself GROUP B P W D L F A Pts
some space and buried a volley beyond VFL WOLFSBURG 1 1 0 0 4 0 3
ROMA
Bouhaddi and into the roof of the net. SLAVIA PRAGUE 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 1 3 0
PSG conjured a spell of possession
ST POLTEN 1 0 0 1 0 4 0
but were struggling to break down a GROUP C P W D L F A Pts
robust Chelsea defensive unit. The Blues ARSENAL 1 1 0 0 5 1 3
nearly caught the hosts napping when JUVENTUS 1 1 0 0 2 0 3 4
Kerr saw the goalkeeper off her line and FC ZURICH FRAUEN 1 0 0 1 0 2 0 -2
0
5
0
attempted an audacious effort from OLYMPIQUE LYONNAIS 1 P W D 0 1 L 1 F A Pts -3 4
GROUP D
range that was comfortably dealt with in BARCELONA 1 1 0 0 9 0 3 -4
the end. BAYERN MUNICH 1 1 0 0 2 1 3 -9
PSG got the second half underway FC ROSENGARD 1 0 0 1 1 2 0 -10
and were in desperate need of an early SL BENFICA 1 0 0 1 0 9 0 -10
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