LYON WON THE Women’s Champions League on Saturday after beating Barcelona 3-1 to be crowned queens of Europe for a record-extending eighth time.
First-half goals from Amandine Henry, Ada Hegerberg and Catarina Macario were enough to take the title from pre-match holders Barca, who pulled one back through captain Alexia Putellas just before half-time.
Expectation was high among Barca fans, who descended in large numbers on the Allianz Stadium in Turin to watch a team who have been tipped to end Lyon’s dominance of the women’s game in Europe.
However they couldn’t come back from going three goals down in the first 33 minutes.
The damage was done in a whirlwind opening period in which Lyon showed their European pedigree and for large tracts steamrollered Barca.
Henry opened the scoring in the sixth minute with a beautiful strike which came out of nowhere, the France icon picking up the ball way out with nothing on before letting off a rocket which Sandra Panos could only grasp at in vain.
TAKE. A. BOW. 🔥
— DAZN Football (@DAZNFootball) May 21, 2022
Amandine Henry with one of the goals of the season for @OLFeminin
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From there Lyon kicked into gear and Hegerberg had her 59th goal in 60 Champions League appearances in the 23rd minute when she calmly nodded in Selma Bacha’s cross from close range.
Ten minutes later Barca’s heads were spinning after a baffling defensive mix-up left Macario with a tap-in to make it three from almost on the goal line.
Barca looked dead and buried but Ballon d’Or holder Putellas dragged her team back into it four minutes before the break when she saved Caroline Graham Hansen’s miscued cross by lashing home a low first-time finish.
Patricia Guijarro thought she had cut the deficit to just one in the most spectacular way possible when she launched an audacious shot from just after the half-way line which crashed back out from the underside of the bar.
From there Barca were the better team but lacked the killer touch, with Ana-Maria Crnogorcevic volleying a great chance wide with seven minutes remaining highlighting a wastefulness which in the end cost them their European crown.
And to think of all the Morons on here who questioned his ability cos he only scored goals in….. eh….France, Spain, Italy, holland. Now he’s scored against the dross that England has to offer they surely must be eating their words.
Imagine what he would have done in the EPL in his prime.
He’s a beast
I wanted him to fail for obvious reasons but has any other player proved to be a great player in all the top leagues, can’t think of any.
Yeah, have to give him credit. He’s already hit 20 goals with, at the very least, 18 games still to go.
A beast will you get a grip ffs
Class act.
Lots of ignorant idiots saying we wouldn’t make double figures for the season. Read the stats and weep
Hopefully he stays fit cos if he dont we’re gone.hes going the right way to becoming a club legend
I’ve been saying for years how underrated he actually is when you compare him to Messi and Ronaldo. He’s consistently been the top striker in the world and top 5 or 6 in the world for about 15 years. I’m a Liverpool fan so wanted him to fail obviously but he’s such an incredible player and should go down as one of the greatest ever
Hahaahahaah are you disturbed
How many has coutinho ?
Who the midfielder who every top club in Europe would take tomorrow . More then any midfielder the Mancs have that’s for sure .
Give it a rest Johnny what’s this got to do with him.
Who who ?? What are you a fking owl ?
Mata has the same amount of prem goals as coutinho and more overall.
They both have 5 league goals, as does Ozil and Eriksen. One more than Pog and Gareth McAuley.
Just debunking another claim from marcus bale. He’s the sean spicer of the 42!
Jenny BlaBlavo: i said who once and that joke i heard in school in 1972 i think which proves what most already know . Your a young slightly stupid little child . I’ll finish off like you do with a big Blahaahaahahahahahahahah
@Johnny Bravo: What does Coutinho have to do with this story? Ibra is an Striker. Couthinho is a midfielder. Were you born this way?
Debunking what you amadán. Brining politics into football . That’s the foreign in you i suppose . Sticking the beak in
Don’t start him off . You will get thinking he will then get a big nose bleed and just start Blahaahaahahahahahahahah out of him . Remember he is only 13 or 14 years of age and possibly a slight bit stupid
He doesn’t foreign stop
Debunking what you said! I’m comparing you to another well known fabricator of alternative truths. I’m Irish by the by not that nationality has anything to with me proving you wrong. Don’t get too upset about being called on it.
It’s getting old isn’t it!
@bognar Sussex : do you not make any of your own points or do you just go round checking other people’s for specific times dates etc… seriously are you some sort of human spell check or just a weirdo . Politics is boring but it’s desperate to mix with football and looking to then converse with . Seriously foreign
He’s finished!!
Sure has 20 and counting
I’m guessing my sarcasm was missed!
Lukaku has 16 in the league already
16 goals for Everton at this stage of season is brilliant . He is on fire . Some ability . Still only young .
Very true Marcus. They are a good side under koeman