It is a habit. The women of Olympique Lyonnais qualified this Wednesday evening for the last four of the Champions League for the 13th time since 2008. The eight-time winner of the competition (a record) won (4-1) in quarter-final return against the rough Portuguese team of Benfica. After the 2-1 in the first leg where they had suffered, the Rhodaniennes took the match this time from the right end by creating multiple chances. Eugénie Le Sommer misses a caviar from Diani (13th) then Delphine Cascarino misses her duel with the Portuguese goalkeeper (33rd).
By pushing, Lyon found the fault on a lob from Cascarino following a clever delivery from Le Sommer (1-0, 43rd). A short-lived lead since Benfica equalized with a great collective action concluded by Alidou (1-1, 45th). Returning from the locker room, OL continued their domination and regained the advantage with a magnificent strike from Cascarino, untenable, from 20m (2-1, 51st). Benfica will not come back. In added time, Sonia Bompastor’s girls scored two additional goals through Kadidiatou Diani and an own goal from Amado.
The Lyonnaises will play in the semi-finals next month. They will face the winner of the PSG – BK Häcken match, whose return match will be played this Wednesday at the Parc des Princes (2-1 for the Parisiennes in the first leg in Sweden). The semi-final first leg will take place in Lyon on April 20 or 21 (return on the 27 or 28).
