Holders Lyon Won A Record Fifth Women’s Champions League

Holders Lyon won a record fifth Women’s Champions League

Holders Lyon won a record fifth Women’s Champions League – and England’s Lucy Bronze her first – as they fought back to beat Wolfsburg in extra time.

After 90 goalless minutes, Pernille Harder’s deflected shot put Wolfsburg 1-0 up before team-mate Alexandra Popp was sent off for a second yellow card.

Lyon quickly capitalised, as Amandine Henry levelled before Shanice van de Sanden crossed for both Eugenie Le Sommer and Ada Hegerberg.

Camille Abily’s low finish sealed it.

Bronze, who said she left Manchester City last summer to win the Champions League, becomes the first England player to win the title in its current format.

The 25-year-old defender also won the BBC Women’s Footballer of the Year earlier this week.

Having knocked out Bronze’s former team Manchester City in the semi-finals thanks to the full-back’s superb volley, Lyon deserved their victory over the 120 minutes.

They had the better of the chances in normal time, before Netherlands and former Liverpool winger Van de Sanden changed the game with her injection of pace down the right flank after coming on as a substitute in extra time.

The French outfit, who extended their unbeaten run in all competitions to 41 consecutive games, became the first women’s team to lift three consecutive European titles.

Classy Norway striker Hegerberg’s first-time strike also saw her become the first player to score 15 goals in a single Women’s Champions League campaign.

Lyon’s dominance continues

In what was a repeat of the 2013 and 2016 finals, Lyon were appearing in their seventh final in nine seasons, while Wolfsburg were playing in their fourth since 2013.

The two sides have dominated the competition since it was rebranded as the Women’s Champions League in 2009, with the French club winning both the 2015-16 and 2016-17 finals on penalties.

Both clubs had already clinched their respective domestic league titles this term, with Lyon unbeaten in all competitions since a 1-0 loss against Manchester City in April 2017.

Wolfsburg, who eliminated English domestic double winners Chelsea in the last four, failed to have a shot on target in the first 45 minutes in front of 14,237 in Ukraine’s capital, Kiev.

Lyon’s eventually comfortable victory distracted focus away from a potentially controversial moment, after they thought they had scored in normal time through Henry.

Her flicked header was cleared by Wolfsburg’s Noelle Maritz from inside the goalmouth, with replays appearing to suggest the ball had fractionally crossed the line.

In the absence of goal-line technology, the officials did not award a goal, but the French side’s electric display in the additional 30 minutes soothed their temporary frustration.

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