In Emilia Romagna on Thursday night, Olympique Lyonnais won the UEFA Women’s Champions League for the third time in six seasons avenging their defeat to VfL Wolfsburg at Stamford Bridge in 2013.

Lyon had begun the brighter side and deservedly took the lead when Bremer burst down the right, her cross was fumbled by Wolfsburg goalkeeper Schult and Ada Hegerberg pounced for her 13th goal of Lyon’s Champions League campaign.

Thereafter the game meandered in the heat as Wolfsburg struggled to make chances and Lyon, despite being on top, struggled to finish their opponents off. Renard had a header cleared off the line and Necib twice went close from long-range. Seemingly destined to see out the game, Lyon were made to pay in the 88th minute. Kerschowski charging down the left to cross into the six-yard box where Lyon keeper Bouhaddi was beaten to the ball by the flying Alexandra Popp. 1-1

As the sun set and the temperature cooled, both teams picked up the pace in a thrilling extra time first period. Blasse side-footed wide from six yards, Hegerberg just missed Majri’s centre before releasing Schelin who shot straight at the keeper. Schelin then failed to connect with Abily flick-on to Necib’s near-post corner when it seemed easier to score.

Lyon had lost the only previous Champions League Final penalty shoot-out to Turbine Potsdam in 2010 and must have feared the worst when star-striker Hegerberg missed their first penalty. Lyon’s Bouhaddi then saved from Fischer and former team-mate Bussaglia to leave Saki Kumagai, who had scored the penalty which won the 2011 FIFA World Cup, to take the glory kick again.

Kumagai had been superb in the first half, playing in front of Lyon’s well-drilled back three. “She’s as cold as a fish, to be honest” claimed team-mate Hegerberg who became the first Norwegian to win the competition. “That’s the strength in this team, we have so many different mentalities, it creates such a good group”.

Lara Dickenmann, twice a winner with Lyon had lost to Wolfsburg in 2013, joined them, and now lost to the team she left. “It’s not difficult to play against them because I know them but because they are so good. It’s a big disappointment because we were so close, to lose on penalty kicks is always hard”.

Her former team-mate, Lotta Schelin was in tears as she held the trophy she won for a third time like a new-born baby. “It’s crazy, it’s so crazy. I never, ever felt something like this because you know it can go either way”.

Womens Football