Van Domselaar's penalty heroics keep Arsenal alive as Lyon push for equaliser

Key facts

• Arsenal lead 2-1 on aggregate after the first leg.
• Wendie Renard had a penalty saved by Daphne van Domselaar, but the kick was retaken because the keeper was off her line.
• Van Domselaar saved the retaken penalty as well.
• Lyon's Melchie Dumornay won the penalty after being fouled by Lotte Wubben-Moy.
• The match is being played at the Groupama Stadium in Lyon.
• Arsenal are seeking a second consecutive Women's Champions League final appearance.
• Lyon have won the competition a record eight times.

High drama from the spot

Arsenal goalkeeper Daphne van Domselaar produced a moment of high drama, saving a penalty from Lyon captain Wendie Renard only for the kick to be ordered retaken because the keeper had moved off her line. Van Domselaar then repeated the feat, diving to her left to palm away Renard's second attempt, keeping the score 0-0 on the night and preserving Arsenal's 2-1 aggregate lead. The incident came after 17 minutes when Lyon striker Melchie Dumornay went down under a challenge from Arsenal defender Lotte Wubben-Moy. The Italian referee reviewed the incident on the pitchside monitor and awarded the penalty, much to the delight of the home crowd at the Groupama Stadium.

Lyon's early pressure

Lyon had dominated the opening exchanges, pinning Arsenal back in their own half. Inside two minutes, Ada Hegerberg had a chance to volley from close range but failed to make proper contact, though replays showed she was offside. The French side continued to press, with a corner delivery from Selma Bacha finding the head of a Lyon player, but the goal was disallowed for offside, with Ingrid Engen deemed to be obstructing Van Domselaar. Arsenal struggled to get out of their half, with Lyon's attacking quartet of Dumornay, Hegerberg, Bacha and Jule Brand causing problems. The Gunners' defence, marshalled by Wubben-Moy and Leah Williamson, held firm under sustained pressure.

The retaken penalty and its aftermath

The penalty decision itself was described as soft by observers, but replays showed Wubben-Moy's boot made contact with Dumornay's right foot inside the area. Renard, Lyon's legendary centre-back and captain, stepped up to take the spot-kick. Van Domselaar guessed correctly, diving to her left to push the ball away. However, the referee signalled for a retake after consulting with VAR, ruling that the Arsenal goalkeeper had been off her line before the ball was kicked. Van Domselaar, undeterred, again faced Renard and again dived left to make the save, this time getting two strong palms to the ball. The Arsenal bench and travelling fans erupted in celebration. The save kept the aggregate score at 2-1 in Arsenal's favour and gave the Gunners a crucial psychological boost.

Arsenal's defensive resolve

Despite the early pressure, Arsenal showed defensive resilience, with full-back Emily Fox making a crucial interception to deny Brand inside the box. The Gunners had a brief foray forward in the fifth minute when Stina Blackstenius won a corner, but the move ended with a foul being called. Arsenal's game plan appeared to be to absorb pressure and hit on the counter, a strategy that had worked in the first leg when they came from behind to win 2-1. Arsenal manager Renee Slegers had warned before the match that her side could not simply defend their lead. 'It is very simple, you can't compare this game with last year,' she said. 'Everything is different this year and the scenario is different, last time we were 2-1 down now we are 2-1 up so everything is different. We have to earn the right from the very start.'

Lyon's pedigree and home advantage

Lyon, record eight-time winners of the Women's Champions League, were playing in front of over 20,000 fans at the Groupama Stadium. The French side, owned by US billionaire Michelle Kang, had won 18 of the last 19 domestic championships and were looking to harness the energy of the home crowd to overturn the deficit. Lyon had rotated heavily for a league match against Nantes, drawing 1-1, while Arsenal had won 7-0 against Leicester after rotating their squad. Lyon welcomed back Melchie Dumornay and Selma Bacha for the second leg, both of whom had missed the first leg. Dumornay had scored three goals in her last four games against Arsenal, making her a key threat. Arsenal, meanwhile, were without Steph Catley (calf), Beth Mead (personal reasons), and several long-term absentees including Manu Zinsberger, Katie Reid and Michelle Agyemang with ACL injuries, while Kyra Cooney-Cross was on compassionate leave.

Historical context and what lies ahead

Arsenal had good recent memories of playing at the Groupama Stadium, having won 5-1 there in the 2022-23 group stage and 4-1 in last season's semi-final. However, on those occasions they were not nursing a narrow lead. The Gunners were seeking a second consecutive Champions League final appearance, having reached the showpiece last season. Lyon, with the competition's all-time top scorer Ada Hegerberg and captain Wendie Renard, who has played in all eight of their final victories, were determined to prevent that. As the first half progressed, the match remained finely poised. Lyon continued to press, but Arsenal's defence, led by the impressive Van Domselaar, held firm. The aggregate score remained 2-1 to Arsenal, with the second half promising more drama.

The bottom line

• Daphne van Domselaar saved two penalties from Wendie Renard, the second after a retake for leaving her line early.
• The penalty was awarded after VAR review for a foul by Lotte Wubben-Moy on Melchie Dumornay.
• Arsenal lead 2-1 on aggregate after the first leg, with the second leg still goalless at the time of writing.
• Lyon dominated the early stages but were unable to breach Arsenal's defence.
• Arsenal have won on their last two visits to Lyon's home ground.
• The winner will advance to the Women's Champions League final.