Lyon Wins Women’s Champions League Trophy For a Record 8th Time

Lyon Wins Women’s Champions League Trophy For a Record 8th Time

Olympique Lyonnais of France has won the UEFA Women’s Champions League for 2022. In a game played at the Juventus stadium in Turin, Italy; the French team opened scoring against Barcelona of Spain in the 6^th minute through an Amandine Henry strike from outside the box. Lyon kept foot on the gas and the prolific Ada Hegerberg made it two for them in the 23^rd minute of play. Ten minutes later, Catarina Macario made it 3-0, pushing the game farther away from the Spanish team. But with four minutes left to play in the first half, Barcelona’s captain, Alexia Putellas was able to pull one back for her team and the first half ended 3-1 in favor of Lyon who were aiming for an eighth Champions League trophy.

Barcelona resumed the second half with attacking intentions by bringing on Nigeria’s Asisat Oshoala for Jennifer Hermoso. And their plans almost paid off in the 57^th minute when Patricia Guljarro hit the cross bar with a clever long-range shot. With the crowd solidly behind Barcelona, they continued to push for goals but Lyon was able to contain their relentless forays into its own defensive area.

Lyon went into the second half with the aim of disrupting Barcelona’s fluid passing game and they succeeded in doing that for most of the half. The team replaced Melvine Malard with Eugenie Le Sommer in the 73^rd minute and made two other changes in the half.

With Barcelona finding Lyon’s defensive rampart impenetrable, Lyon held onto the first half win for their eighth Women’s Champions League trophy. Barcelona was simply no match for Lyon’s clever strategy which saw the game having seven added minutes due to disruptions in play.

*Photo courtesy UEFA Media.