Chelsea has booked its spot in the last four of the Champions League after beating eight-time champions Lyon in a shootout. The blues goalkeeper Ann Katrin-Berger became the hero of the match after denying Lindsey Horan in the final spot kick. Emma Hayes’ team will next meet Barcelona in the semi-finals.
CHELSEA 1-2 LYON (2-2 aggregate): The Blues completed a stunning comeback last night at Stamford Bridge to reach the semi-finals of the Women’s Champions League after they edged holders Lyon 4-3 on penalties.
Up next, Chelsea will face 2021 Champions Barcelona in the last four. The Blues will have to produce another big performance against the mighty Barcelona if they want to advance to the final.
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Chelsea set for rematch against Barcelona in the semi-finals
It was a thrilling end to a two-legged tie on Thursday night, with emotions all over the pitch from both sides. Eight-time champions Lyon held the Blues for 90 minutes and forced extra time after taking a narrow 1-0 lead in the second half. Substitute Sara Debritz scored in extra time to put Lyon ahead, but their celebration was short-lived as Maren Mjelde converted a penalty, following a VAR review, and pushed the tie to penalties.
In the resulting shootout, Chelsea came out on top as Ann Katrin-Berger became the hero after making two match-winning saves, including saving the last spot kick from Lyon’s Lindsey Horan. Berger bolted to the corner flag in elation as her team-mates joined her in celebration for their monumental victory against the French side, beating them 4-3 in the shootout.
Chelsea keeper Berger denied Horan to advance in last four
Chelsea forwards Sam Kerr and Lauren James came close to opening the scoreboard but missed clear-cut opportunities in the first half, but the French side did not take long to punish the Blues as they levelled the tie on aggregate through Vanessa Gilles sumptuous finish at the 77th minute. Gilles capitalised on a loose pass from Lindsey Horan and squeezed the ball past Chelsea’s German keeper Ann Katrin- Berger at the near post.
That took the match to extra time, where Chelsea lost their lead thanks to Lyon’s substitute Sara Dabritz’s dramatic finish with just ten minutes to go. But Blues No. 10, Lauren James, breathed life into the home fans after she was awarded a penalty following a close VAR review that showed she was fouled inside the box. She handed the penalty kick to Maren Mjelde; the Norwegian took the chance and blasted it past Lyon’s goalkeeper Endler to force a shootout. Chelsea came out on top in the shootout and advanced to the next round.
Lyon’s players and staff were devastated after the match. This was their second quarterfinal loss after winning the title eight times, with their last victory coming against Barcelona in 2022. Meanwhile, the home fans at Stamford Bridge were elated as Chelsea booked their place in the semi-final. And as it stands, there will be two English clubs in the semi-finals for the first time in five years.
Chelsea will now hope to avenge their defeat against Barcelona in the next round, who beat them in the 2021 final in Gothenburg. In the other fixture, Arsenal will lock horns with two-time champions Wolfsburg, which could set up the mouth-watering prospect of an all-English finals.
Manager focus: Emma Hayes
Emma Hayes’ popularity has skyrocketed in west London since she took over as the club’s manager in 2012. Her rise to the top was never in doubt. However, the Chelsea boss has faced her fair share of criticism for her European track record, especially the way their campaigns have ended.
In 2021, they came short of their maiden Champions League title after they were thrashed 4-0 by a formidable Barcelona side, whereas last season, Hayes’ team crashed out of the group stage in their final group game against Wolfsburg, losing 4-0.
This season, however, Hayes’ team has been solid, and things have started to settle for them, as was evident in their recent results. The match against Lyon was a mammoth task, but Hayes seemed less bothered and managed to push the right buttons when it was demanded. Her decision to deploy Lauren James in a central role paid off effectively, as the Blues were stubborn in containing the mighty French side, which allowed the forwards to dismantle their opposition with frequent counterattacks. Though their defence was breached in the end, they remained resilient and eventually came out on top.
