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Arsenal reached the Women’s Champions League final for the first time since 2007 after overturning a first-leg deficit against Lyon with a 4-1 victory on Sunday.Arsenal had trailed 2-1 after last weekend’s defeat at the Emirates Stadium but recorded an emphatic win over the record eight-time European champions to progress 5-3 on aggregate and set up a meeting with Barcelona in May’s final.
Renee Slegers’ side levelled the scores on aggregate after just five minutes at the Groupama Stadium as Lyon’s Damaris Egurrola’s attempted headed clearance from a corner deflected in off goalkeeper Christiane Endler.
Arsenal doubled their advantage on the night and went ahead on aggregate in first-half stoppage time as Mariona Caldentey picked out the top corner with a bending effort from the edge of the penalty area.
The visitors added a third one minute into the second half, Frida Maanum feeding Alessia Russo, who finished coolly, after Lyon had failed to clear. Arsenal put the game beyond Lyon shortly after the hour-mark as Caitlin Foord capitalised on a slip from Vanessa Gilles and fired the ball into the roof of the net.
Lyon pulled one back on 81 minutes though a low Melchie Dumornay effort, but it proved only to be a consolation.
They will play defending champions Barcelona in the final on May 24 at Lisbon’s Jose Alvalade Stadium. Barcelona secured their final spot for a fifth successive season after Sunday’s 4-1 win at Chelsea secured an 8-2 aggregate victory.
English side’s have not traditionally enjoyed much success in the Women’s Champions League, with Arsenal becoming the first side since Chelsea in 2021 to reach the final, while the north London club’s success in 2007 remains the only time an English team has won the competition in its 24-year history.
This article originally appeared in The Athletic.
Arsenal, UK Women's Football
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