Olympique Lyonnais booked their UEFA Women’s Champions League semi-final spot with a convincing 4-1 victory over Bayern Munich in the second leg of the quarter-final on Wednesday.
Having won the first leg 2-0, goals from Melchie Dumornay, Kadidiatou Diani, Tabitha Chawinga and Ada Hergerberg put les Fenottes through to the final four with a dominating 6-1 aggregate score.
As it happened
Having come into the match two goals behind from the first leg, Bayern Munich had to fight back and they responded with an energetic start, creating more chances than their French hosts.
The determination of Bayern was finally rewarded in the 33rd minute when Klara Bühl scored, capitalising on a well-placed pass to place a well-weighted left-foot shot to the bottom right corner, giving the visitors a chance to mount a comeback. Despite their dominance in the first half, Bayern failed to increase their lead before the break, and trailed on aggregate at the interval.
Lyon returned for the second half with vengeance and soon asserted their authority on the game. In the 55th minute, Melchie Dumornay equalised with a header from close range, courtesy of a well-placed cross by Kadidiatou Diani.
With the score on the evening now 1-1, Bayern’s opportunity to push forward was disappearing. Their challenge continued in the 70th minute when Diani became not only creator but also goal-scorer as she finished neatly from within the box to give Lyon the advantage on the night.
Bayern continued to attack in desperation, but their efforts were repelled by Lyon’s robust defensive system. There were still hopes for the unlikely comeback until the 85th minute, when Tabitha Chawinga turned home from a Diani assist to make it 3-1 – and 5-1 on aggregate – to the French side. The striker calmly placed a left-footed shot into the bottom left corner.
Deep into added time Ada Hegerberg scored with an assist from the earlier goal scorer Dumornay to seal Bayern’s fate.
In a 6-1 aggregate victory, Olympique Lyonnais demonstrated their experience and quality at the European elite level. Bayern Munich were courageous but were no match for Lyon’s attacking prowess and clinical finishing, with the French side now able to turn their attention to a semi-final meeting with Arsenal in April.
The lineups
BAY: Grohs; Simon, Eriksson, Hansen, Gwinn; Zigiotti Olme, Lohmann; Tanikawa, Bühl, Harder; Damnjanovic
OL: Endler; Carpenter, Gilles, Renard, Bacha; Egurrola, Marozsán; Diani, Heaps, Chawinga; Dumornay