Lyon weathered a second-half fightback by Arsenal to claim a 2-1 away win in the first leg of the Women’s Champions League semifinals on Saturday, putting the record eight-time champions on course for another title match.
Melchie Dumornay, Lyon’s 21-year-old star forward from Haiti, surged through the Arsenal defense to slot home a low finish in the 82nd minute for the winning goal at Emirates Stadium in London.
Lyon was hanging on at that time, with Mariona Caldentey having converted a penalty four minutes earlier to cap a resurgence by Arsenal after halftime. Kadidiatou Diani had given Lyon the lead for the first time in the 17th.
The second leg will be in Lyon on April 27, with the French team seeking to reach the final for the 12th time in its bid for a ninth title — and first since 2022.
Barcelona plays Chelsea in the other semifinal, with the first leg in Spain on Sunday.
Arsenal is the only English team to win the Women’s Champions League. That was in 2007 and the club hasn’t reached the final since.
Dumornay impressed for Lyon throughout and struck the crossbar with a 40-meter shot in the 33rd minute.
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