PARIS: Women’s Champions League holders Lyon collapsed to a 5-1 home thumping at the hands of Arsenal on Wednesday as Beth Mead starred for the English club, while Barcelona put nine goals past Benfica.
Jonas Eidevall’s Arsenal made a dream start against Lyon, as Mead teed up Caitlin Foord to give them a 13th-minute lead. Frida Leonhardsen-Maanum doubled the advantage midway through the first half, before Melvine Malard pulled one back for the French side who won a record-extending eighth European Cup by dethroning Barcelona last season.
But Mead, who finished second in the Ballon d’Or voting earlier this week, scored a brilliant free-kick in the 39th minute. Foord and England’s European Championship-winning hero Mead both scored again in the second period, as Lyon were left humiliated.
No team had previously conceded five goals in a game as the defending champions, while it was the first time Lyon had even shipped four goals in the competition. “We have a team that can do better,” said Lyon forward Eugenie Le Sommer. “It’s hard to take five goals, even if we made mistakes that cost us a lot.