At first glance, the outlook does not look too promising for Arsenal, trailing 2-1 against Lyon from the first leg of their Women’s Champions League semi-final and needing to win at a club who have reached 11 previous finals. Nonetheless, there are reasons for Renée Slegers’ team to be cheerful as well as fearful before the biggest game of their season as they try to keep their European dream alive.
Losing in London was certainly not in the 2007 European champions’ script but Arsenal won more of the duels, controlled more of the possession and had more efforts at goal than Lyon, who lead thanks to the hugely talented young Haiti midfielder Melchie Dumornay’s cool late finish. The Arsenal left-back Katie McCabe was adamant regarding her side’s capability to fight back, saying on Friday: “I believe we can go and be positive and score goals. We have the quality. We have the class around the team, but we have to be on it, from the get-go.
