LONDON, April 26 : Holders Arsenal came from behind to secure a 2-1 win over OL Lyonnes thanks to an own goal and a late strike from Canadian Olivia Smith in the first leg of their Women’s Champions League semi-final at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday.
The champions trailed in the first half when Jule Brand cut inside and fired past Daphne van Domselaar to give the visitors the lead but Lyon defender Ingrid Syrstad Engen put through her own net to bring the scores level in the 59th minute.
Arsenal’s Canada forward Smith then made the most of a mix-up between Engen and goalkeeper Christiane Endler in the 83rd to slot the ball into an empty net and give the Londoners a narrow advantage to take into next week’s second leg.
In Saturday’s semi, Bayern Munich held visiting Barcelona to a 1-1 draw, Ewa Pajor giving the Spaniards an early lead and defender Franziska Kett equalising for Bayern in the second half before being sent off for pulling Salma Paralluelo’s hair.
