Olympique Lyon prevailed in the French duel for a place in the final of the Uefa Women’s Champions League against Paris Saint-Germain. In a competitive game, OL beat the worst national rivals 1-0 (0-0). The decisive goal at the Estadio de San Mámes in Bilbao was headed by captain Wendie Renard (67th minute). For PSG, Grace Geyoro saw yellow-red (66th), and Lyon’s Nikita Parris was also thrown off the field after a second yellow card (75th).
In the duel between the two best French teams, who already faced each other in the 2017 Champions League final, the defensive rows initially dominated: Despite pleasing combinations in midfield, the goal area scenes remained rare on both sides. For 45 minutes, both the Paris goalkeeper Christiane Endler and her Lyon counterpart Sarah Bouhaddi were largely idle. The best opportunity was missed by Sarah Björk Gunnarsdottir, who headed a free-kick flank just wide of the goal (39th).
Two evictions, one goal
The second half turned out to be much more eventful – not because the strongly defending teams now made more mistakes in their own penalty area, but mainly because of serious fouls. Geyoro, who had already been warned after a tactical offense in the first round, fouled Lyons right-back Lucy Bronze on the wing and was consequently sent off (66th). The rustic use damaged PSG twice: Amel Majri crossed the due free kick with a lot of cut in front of the Paris goal, Renard used her 1.87 meters height and headed the ball into the goal (67th).
Orienteering attacker Parris involuntarily created tension: When trying to put PSG goalkeeper Endler under pressure as the first pressing spike, she rudely pulled the Chilean off her feet. Parris was cautioned at the beginning of the second half for complaining, and the second unnecessary yellow card meant he was sent off (75th). In ten-on-ten, the Parisians got more play, but did not come to any clear conclusions.
Kick-off despite the Corona case
Before the start of the game, PSG announced on Twitter that a player on the team had tested positive for the novel corona virus. The club did not reveal who it was. The player was isolated from the rest of the team after the positive result, the test was carried out on Tuesday.
In the final on Sunday (8 p.m., TV: Sport1, live ticker SPIEGEL), Lyon will meet VfL Wolfsburg. Both teams won the national championship and cup double, Lyon could celebrate their fifth Champions League title in a row. Wolfsburg lost in the 2018 and 2016 finals, but they are also the club against which Lyon last lost a Champions League final in 2013.
