Arsenal 2-1 Lyon: Smith completes comeback for first-leg advantage
Arsenal had to come from behind against Lyon, but they will now travel to France with a one-goal lead in their Champions League semi-final.
Olivia Smith completed the comeback to give Arsenal a slender 2-1 advantage over Lyon in the Women's Champions League semi-finals.
Jule Brand had given Lyon the lead at Emirates Stadium, but a clumsy own goal was followed by Smith's persistence, which resulted in a winner with seven minutes remaining.
Arsenal started well, with Caitlin Foord dragging a shot wide early on, but Lyon caught them cold with their first real attack of the game.
Sofie Svava won the ball high upfield, and Brand skipped between the Arsenal defenders into the box before lashing her strike past Daphne van Domselaar 18 minutes in.
Mariona Caldentey and Lotte Wubben-Moy both saw chances go begging as Arsenal sought an equaliser, while Foord almost sent another effort past the target.
The Gunners improved after the break – and saw a potential penalty overturned by VAR – but it was Ingrid Engen's own goal that gave them a lifeline. The Lyon defender inadvertently bundled home after Christiane Endler spilled Mariona Caldentey's 58th-minute free-kick.
Kadidiatou Diani rattled the woodwork following a blistering counter-attack, with Korbin Shrader unable to turn in on the rebound.
And Smith punished Lyon for that miss. She chased down a loose backpass and, after a mix-up between Endler and Engen, pounced on the loose ball to slot into the empty net.
Data Debrief: Holders show their mettle
Arsenal struggled in the first half and conceded with the only shot they faced on their goal, but they improved after the break to give themselves an advantage in next weekend's second leg.
The Gunners had lost their last two home matches against Lyon, but they did not let their heads drop and instead made it five wins on the bounce in the competition at the Emirates.
Arsenal finished with 1.33 expected goals (xG) from 16 shots, with six of those on target, while Lyon managed just 0.44 xG at the other end.
And it was Smith that led the charge, with a game-high five attempts worth 0.69 xG, while her eight touches in the opposition box were only bettered by Foord (nine).
