Arsenal's European Defence Begins With Defeat To Lyons

Just six months after Arsenal shocked Lyon in the Champions League semi-finals on their turf, claiming their second European title, the French side took their revenge on Tuesday night. They disrupted Arsenal’s title defense with a 2-1 win that, in reality, flattered the defending champions. Alessia Russo opened the scoring for Arsenal just seven minutes in, but Melchie Dumornay quickly equalized, and from that point on, Lyon dominated the match, with two goals from the Haitian forward sealing the victory for the eight-time champions.

Russo’s early goal showcased her skill, a result of both her precise finish and the impressive footwork from Beth Mead that created the opportunity. However, this moment seemed to awaken Lyon, who responded fiercely, particularly in the first half. Lyon’s equalizer came from a mistake as Arsenal’s goalkeeper, Daphne van Domselaar, mistakenly passed the ball to Dumornay while attempting to play out from the back, facing no pressure. Dumornay’s second goal was a remarkable strike, as she launched the ball into the top corner from 20 yards.

Lyon could have extended their lead on several occasions but either missed the target or were denied by Van Domselaar, who redeemed herself with an excellent double save just before halftime. Arsenal struggled to capitalize on Lyon’s missed chances, with few opportunities created aside from Mariona Caldentey’s well-saved shot shortly after Dumornay’s second goal and Caitlin Foord’s effort that went just wide in the closing moments.

This defeat marks four matches without a win for Arsenal, following draws against Manchester United and Aston Villa, and a loss to Manchester City over the weekend. It’s the Gunners’ first winless streak like this since January 2022. While head coach Renee Slegers isn’t facing immediate pressure regarding her position, both she and her team are eager to regain momentum and steer their season back toward success.