LYON, France :Arsenal overturned a 2-1 first-leg deficit with a 4-1 away thrashing of French side Olympique Lyonnais on Sunday to win 5-3 on aggregate and book their spot in the women’s Champions League final, where they will meet holders Barcelona.
The Gunners were ruthless, punishing errors from the eight-time Champions League winners and turning them into goals to reach the final for the first time since they won the competition in 2007, the only English club to do so.
The game got off to a bad start for the home side when Lyon goalkeeper Christiane Endler was credited with an own goal after mis-judging a corner five minutes in, an attempted clearance hitting her on the back before bouncing into the net.
Lyon struggled with Arsenal’s high press, coughing up the ball in dangerous positions on a number of occasions and the Gunners were able to double their advantage just before the break thanks to a stunning strike from the edge of the area from Mariona Caldentey.
Things went from bad to worse for Lyon as Alessia Russo made the most of a succession of defensive errors to score within 30 seconds of the re-start to put her side 4-2 up on aggregate.
With Lyon struggling to create decent goal-scoring chances, the coup de grace came in the 63rd minute as Lyon centre back Vanessa Gilles slipped and fell while in possession in her own penalty area, allowing Arsenal winger Caitlin Foord to gleefully snap up the loose ball and rattle it into the top corner.
Lyon were thrown a lifeline in the 81st minute when Melchie Dumornay pulled a goal back, but the visitors managed the final moments of the game expertly, comfortably playing out the remaining time to secure their spot in the decider on May 24 in Lisbon.
Earlier in the afternoon, reigning champions Barcelona thrashed Chelsea 4-1 in London en route to an 8-2 aggregate victory to reach the final, where they will be attempting to make it three wins in a row.
