If last season taught Arsenal anything, it was that you don’t need to win the sprint to edge the marathon. They certainly won’t be complaining about the head start, though.
It was a rematch of titans: the French champions against the European champions, ready and waiting for round two after a gruelling battle that ended 5-3 in favour of the English side last year and set the Gunners on their way to the glory land.
When Lyon took the lead early on here today, one could have been forgiven for thinking they had accidentally stepped into a time machine back a year.
Unlike last time, though, Arsenal made sure to make their crowd proud – and slightly more comfortable – by being the side who managed to claim the first half in this two-legged tie as their own.
They will know, though, that this is far from over. They managed it last season, after all, when heading over to France 2-1 down after the first leg and going on to score four on foreign soil.
But the muscle memory will certainly help in the long run if they are to defy expectations once again and book a second consecutive Champions League final.
Arsenal’s £1million signing Olivia Smith scored the winning goal to give the hosts the lead in their Champions League semi-final
Arsenal rushed off the starting mark with purpose, appearing intent on catching Lyon out from the off
Arsenal rushed off the starting mark with purpose, appearing intent on catching Lyon out from the off.
Their £1 million signing Smith – whose nimble feet have become a nightmare for less speedy opponents – found herself treated to acres of space on the right-hand channel thanks to Lyon left-back Sofie Svava’s high press.
It was through one such opportunity that Smith found herself closing in on goal after just a few minutes, only for the cross to take a deflection and bounce out to the edge of the penalty area.
‘Shoot!’ was the rallying call from the Arsenal crowd as Caitlin Foord closed in, only for the Australian winger to drag her shot wide of Christiane Endler’s right post.
Lyon didn’t need telling twice: the reigning champions were up for this one.
What followed were 15 minutes or so of Arsenal dominance, as their typically boisterous crowd bristled with excitement.
After all, last year’s success in this tournament after 18 years had shed the cloak of insecurity. Despite not winning a league title in seven years, they had beaten Europe’s best teams all the way to Lisbon, and they could easily do it again.
Or so they thought – until Lyon midfielder Jule Brand decided to burst the bubble of growing confidence in the stadium.
Lyon midfielder Jule Brand decided to burst the bubble of growing confidence in the stadium with her goal against the run of play in the 18th minute
Capitalising on a loose pass from Caitlin Foord to Olivia Smith, Brand drove towards the Arsenal penalty area, sidestepped Kim Little, and fired into the bottom left-hand corner. Arsenal had fallen asleep for a moment and were punished.
The noise evaporated from the stadium into the sticky London afternoon.
As time ticked on into the second half, Arsenal’s lack of attacking threat became more apparent. Chloe Kelly and Beth Mead were both absent from the bench, and Renée Slegers, dressed casually in an Adidas Arsenal T-shirt and tracksuit bottoms, stroked her chin on the sidelines.
Fortunately for the hosts, they managed to get a helping hand to level the tie with just over half an hour to go.
Katie McCabe was dragged down 20 yards out, and Mariona Caldentey’s resulting free-kick saw the Spaniard send a low, bobbling pass into the penalty area.
Arsenal’s Champions League hero, Stina Blackstenius, rushed forward to attack the ball, but Endler made a mess of it as she bent down to scoop it up. It squirmed out of her grasp and bounced over the line.
VAR checked to see if Blackstenius had interfered, but the Lyon keeper couldn’t save her blushes on this occasion, and parity was restored.
Lyon responded through Kadidiatou Diani, who rattled Arsenal with a powerful effort a few minutes later.
Then the momentum swung back Arsenal’s way. Foord had a shot caught under her feet, and Endler parried it away.
Finally, though, Smith’s relentlessness was rewarded. The Canadian closed down Endler, who collided with her own player, and Smith scrambled to her feet to guide her shot into the empty net.
The relief was palpable, but Arsenal will know this one is far from done.
