Bouhaddi gives Lyon fourth Women's Champions League title
Thursday, June 1, 2017
Article summary
Goalkeeper Sarah Bouhaddi converts winning penalty in epic final shoot-out as Lyon pip French rivals Paris Saint-Germain on penalties to win a fourth UEFA Women's Champions League.
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Article body
- Lyon goalkeeper Sarah Bouhaddi converts winning penalty in epic final shoot-out
- Lyon win record-equalling fourth European title after being taken all the way
- Bouhaddi, Wendie Renard, Camille Abily and Eugénie Le Sommer part of all four wins
- Pre-match injury doubt Alex Morgan lasts 23 minutes on Lyon swansong
- Lyon dominate first-half possession and territory but create few chances
- Paris close when ShirleyCruz Trañadenied by Bouhaddi save and Renard hacks ball away
- Ada Hegerberg, who had stomach bug, misses great chance at start of second half and is replaced on hour
- Marie-Laure Delie drags shot just past post for Paris with their best second-half opportunity
- Katarzyna Kiedrzynek keeps Lyon at bay in extra time and tips Lyon's second penalty, taken by Le Sommer, onto woodwork
- Bouhaddi then denies Grace Geyoro and shoot-out goes to sudden death
- Kiedrzynek misses Paris's eighth effort and is then beaten by Bouhaddi
- Paris finished third in France and out of Europe next season
- More than 22,000 watch final in Cardiff
- Player of the match: Dzsenifer Marozsán (Lyon)
- The final as it happened
Reporter's view: Paul Saffer (@UEFAcomPaulS)
In the French Cup final 13 days ago, Paris tactically frustrated Lyon only to lose 7-6 on penalties. It happened again as a double became a treble for Lyon, who also beat Wolfsburg on spot kicks last year. Kiedrzynek was outstanding but in the end someone has to be out of luck in a shoot-out, Paris becoming the first team to lose their first two finals in this competition.
Reaction:
Gérard Prêcheur, Lyon coach
Sarah [Bouhaddi] is great with her feet. I think she's the best goalkeeper in the world anyway, but she's outstanding with her feet. I asked her to take a penalty in a league match too, because I thought she could score. [Tonight] was the right moment, because the other goalkeeper had missed – Wendie [Renard] told her she could do it.
We've got a great captain – she's our number one. If you take her qualities as a player and as a leader, she's amazing. She told Sarah she could do it. And congratulations to Sarah as well, I don't know how she did it – everyone jumped on her at the end of the match, I thought they were going to strangle her!
Dzsenifer Marozsán, player of the match
It's a final, and we knew it wouldn't be easy – PSG have a great team. I think it was a great final, for the fans as well. We just kept on and believed in ourselves. We took some good penalties so that's great mentally – and we had a bit of luck too. Lyon have made a big story tonight – winning the treble twice. That's amazing. I'm here tonight, and I'm really happy to have written history too.
Sarah Bouhaddi, Lyon goalkeeper
The players asked me if I wanted to take [a penalty], so I stepped up to the plate and I scored. I'm happy to have scored tonight, but it doesn't really matter; the most important thing was the team won and during the whole match nobody gave up. This made the difference.
Patrice Lair, Paris coach
I hope we'll be back and able to claim this title soon. In order to do so we'll need to work, recruit and become a stronger team. We're a bit behind Lyon, but I think we'll be able to catch them up. We've got to the final, lots of other clubs would have wanted to do that – I'd like to congratulate my team.