Lyon 1-4 Arsenal (3-5 on agg): Women’s Champions League semi-final – as it happened (2025)

Right, that’s all from me! I’ll leave you with Sophie Downey’s match report from the Groupama Stadium. Enjoy the rest of your weekend!

The apprentice has defeated the master. Renée Slegers was mentored by Joe Montemurro during a UEFA mentorship programme half a decade ago. Now, she has led Arsenal to a win over his Lyon team to reach the Champions League final.

Lyon manager Joe Montemurro tells DAZN: “Until today we were unbeaten, for what happened today was a little bit unexplainable. We weren’t calm enough to play our game and were beaten by the better team.”

Arsenal winger Caitlin Foord tells DAZN: “Any goal is special to get for this club and to do it in a moment like I did, I am so happy. I think we played really well and created the momentum. We finished our chances which is so important. We won the ball higher up in crucial areas and I think we rattled them a bit. We got them in good areas and finished our chances.”

Arsenal captain Kim Little tells DAZN: “It means a lot to this incredible football club. I’m excited and looking forward to representing this club in the final. We have belief in this group and we are very good at executing our game plans. We did it fairly well in the first leg but not well enough - today we executed it very well and thoroughly deserved to win.”

Countdown to the final – 27 days to go!

Earlier this week, Arsenal captain Kim Little told DAZN: “I’ve played a lot of Champions League games and been to semi-finals, but never a final. So to take this team and club there would be a special moment for everyone, but for me too.”

It’s happening…

This.

There was belief in and around the Arsenal camp that they could complete a turnaround against Lyon today. But I don’t think anyone would have expected such a dominant display and scoreline. Renée Slegers has instilled something special in this Arsenal team. This day will go down in history for the Gunners.

Arsenal have reached their first Champions League final since 2007!

What a turnaround from Arsenal! They are through to the Champions League final!

90+6 min: No penalty. Play resumes.

90+5 min: Play has been stopped to check a potential Lyon penalty. A possible handball from Mead it appears.

90+4 min: Arsenal fans are making themselves heard as we approach the final minute.

90+2 min: Another substitution for Arsenal as Katie Reid replaces McCabe. What a moment for the 18-year-old!

90+1 min: Five minutes have been added on. Five minutes separate Arsenal from the Champions League final.

90 min: Arsenal have a free kick in midfield following an accidental kick to the stomach from Marozsán on Cooney-Cross. Nothing comes of the set-piece.

88 min: Van Domselaar is booked for time wasting. Two minutes of regular time left to play.

87 min: Another double change for Arsenal. Caldentey, who scored the second goal of the day, is replaced by Lotte Wubben-Moy. Meanwhile, Maanum makes way for Kyra Cooney-Cross.

84 min: A huge chance for Lyon to get another! Marozsán gets a free header from a corner but directs her effort over the bar! Tensions are rising here…

82 min: The ball is sent into the Arsenal box and falls to Dumornay, who is given the time and space to set herself for the shot before firing past Van Domselaar. Game on?

Dumornay gets one back for the hosts! It’s now 5-3 on aggregate.

80 min: Another poor pass in the Lyon midfield is intercepted by Maanum and Arsenal look to break forward. The midfielder attempts to pass to Blackstenius but fails to find her.

78 min: It would, indeed, take a devastating collapse for Arsenal to let this slip now. Just over 10 minutes to go here. Lisbon is in sight for the WSL side!

Arsenal fan Kári is starting to believe…

“Now that 75 minutes have been played and Arsenal are three goals to the good, intrusive thoughts of total collapse have started to recede and I’m starting to believe that Arsenal will really reach the final. What a lovely day to be a fan!”

75 min: Another two changes for Lyon as Renard is replaced by Alice Sombath and Damaris makes way for Dzsenifer Marozsán.

73 min: Sommer goes for goal from distance but drags her effort well wide of the post.

71 min: Renée Slegers makes her first two changes of the game as goalscorer Russo makes way for Stina Blackstenius. Beth Mead is also introduced to replace Kelly.

68 min: Another two changes for Lyon as Daniëlle van de Donk replaces Heaps and Hegerberg makes way for Eugénie Le Sommer.

67 min: This is an absolute demolition job from Arsenal. They are tearing last year’s Champions League finalists apart.

64 min: Foord capitalises on a huge slip from Gilles in the box before firing her shot into the top-left corner! A hugely unfortunate error for the Lyon defender, but what a moment for Arsenal!

It’s FOUR! Foord with the strike!

62 min: Kelly avoids a booking for throwing the ball away. Arsenal need to be careful here.

60 min: Lyon have a corner and the ball is sent straight into the box. Dumornay goes for the volley around 15 yards out but McCabe gets in the way to block. Arsenal then look to break forward but Egurrola is booked for a cynical foul on Little.

58 min: Joe Montemurro is first to make a change as Amel Majri replaces Chawinga for Lyon.

55 min: A long ball is played over to Hegerberg deep in the Arsenal half. She brings it down for Chawinga, who makes a run in from the left before going for goal, but Van Domselaar makes a crucial save.

53 min: The ball is played to Russo on the edge of the box. The striker takes it on the half-turn before going for goal, forcing a save from Endler. Lyon head straight down to the other end of the pitch and Carpenter is in a position to shoot, but her effort flies past the post.

49 min: Two Arsenal stars stop Chawinga from breaking forward and the Gunners look to pounce once again. Nothing comes of the attack, however.

47 min: What a start to this second half from Arsenal! The Gunners capitalise on some poor Lyon defending from kick-off and the ball falls to Russo, who slots it past Endler and into the bottom-right corner!

In the blink of an eye, Arsenal extend their lead!

We’re back under way!

If you’re loving our women’s football coverage then be sure to subscribe to our Moving the Goalposts newsletter before the second half starts. You’ll receive weekly features and updates – all for free!

That was a fantastic first-half performance from Arsenal. They have so far achieved just what they needed to – and that was massively helped by the early goal. They have to remain fully focussed now for the remaining 45 minutes. A place in the final is at stake…

Arsenal fans, happy with that?

Arsenal have flipped this semi-final on its head. As it stands, they will meet Barcelona in the Champions League final – but there is still 45 minutes to be played…

45+2 min: Little picks out an attempted Lyon clearance on the edge of the box. She plays it short to Russo in the box, who sets it back to Caldentey 20 yards out from goal. The midfielder takes the ball out of her feet before unleashing a stunning shot into the top-right corner! What a moment to score!

OH MY GOODNESS! What a strike from Caldentey! Arsenal lead!

45 min: Three minutes have been added on…

43 min: A loose Arsenal pass is intercepted and the ball is sent out to Dumornay on the right. The forward goes for the cross but McCabe can make the interception.

40 min: Foord attempts to slip Maanum through on goal in the box, but the midfielder doesn’t seem to anticipate the pass and Lyon have a goal kick.

38 min: Lyon have a corner and Arsenal make the clearance, but the ball only runs as far as Carpenter around 30 yards out from goal. The defender goes for the shot and blazes her effort over the bar. Another heart-in-mouth moment for the visitors.

35 min: Lyon have a free kick in a very threatening position after Dumornay is fouled by Maanum. Bacha steps up to take and fires her effort narrowly over the crossbar. Arsenal breathe a sigh of relief.

34 min: Caldentey picks up a loose ball and goes for an audacious shot from around 25 yards out, but her effort is off-target. Arsenal are really piling on the pressure now.

33 min: Another big chance for Arsenal as McCabe fires in a cross from the left. Russo is in the middle but can’t make contact.