Lyon outclasses Bayern with 4-1 win to reach Women’s Champions League semifinals

By Canadian Press on March 26, 2025.

LYON, France (AP) — Kadidiatou Diani scored one goal and set up two more as Lyon outclassed Bayern Munich 4-1 in the second leg of their Women’s Champions League quarterfinal on Wednesday.

The French powerhouse needed a wake-up call before reaching the semifinals for the 13th time. Klara Bühl opened the scoring in the 33rd minute off the far post to claw a goal back for Bayern after losing the first leg 2-0 in Munich.

Lyon, the eight-time champion, emerged reinvigorated after the break and went on to wrap up a 6-1 victory on aggregate with Diani scoring and setting up goals for Melchie Dumornay and Tabitha Chawinga, who both scored in Munich last week.

Dumornay played in Ada Hegerberg to seal the rout with a flourish by shooting the ball between Bayern goalkeeper Maria-Luisa “Mala” Grohs’ legs in stoppage time.

Bayern will be left to rue defensive blunders for undermining its comeback hopes.

Diani was given two opportunities to cross the ball for Dumornay to equalize on the night, then Bayern star Giulia Gwinn inadvertently set up Diani to score in the 54th.

It was the third blow for Bayern in quick succession with forward Jovana Damnjanovic going off with an apparent rib injury.

The fourth blow came shortly afterward with Diana crossing for Chawinga to score Lyon’s third goal on the hour-mark. The French league champion missed further chances to score before Hegerberg made the last one count.

Lyon will face either Real Madrid or Arsenal in the semifinals. They were contesting the second leg of their quarterfinal in London later, with the Spanish team 2-0 up from the first leg in Madrid last week.

The other quarterfinal second legs are scheduled for Thursday, with defending champion Barcelona in a comfortable position after a 4-1 win over Wolfsburg in Germany, and Chelsea needing goals as it hosts Manchester City after losing the first leg 2-0.

Barcelona defeated Lyon in last year’s final.

___

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

The Associated Press

16
-15