Lyon take title, Arsenal through, Potsdam lose

Olympique Lyonnais wrapped up a fifth straight French title on Sunday while UEFA Women's Champions League semi-final opponents Arsenal LFC reached the last four of the FA Women's Cup – but 1. FFC Turbine Potsdam were denied a domestic double in the German Women's Cup final.

Lyon, made to work hard by Zvezda-2005 on Wednesday to set up the Arsenal tie, knew a win at second-placed Montpellier Hérault SC would confirm them as champions again with four games to spare. Although Sandrine Dusang was injured in the early stages, Lyon were not to be denied and on the hour Wendie Renard headed in a Sonia Bompastor free-kick to give the club their 18th straight league win of the season.

Coach Patrice Lair said: "Even though the title was expected, it was celebrated with great joy. We will enjoy it and quickly refocus with the quarter-finals of the French Cup next week against Juvisy then two matches against Arsenal. We remain under pressure because the goal is threefold."

In the race for the second UEFA Women's Champions League slot, Montpellier are two points ahead of Paris Saint-Germain FC. FCF Juvisy Essonne, knocked out in the quarter-finals by Potsdam on Wednesday, are four points further back.

Arsenal, who visit Lyon on 9/10 April and are at home the following weekend, need to get to the FA Women's Cup final to return to Europe next season should they not win the continental title themselves. Having eliminated Everton in the last round, they were handed a quarter-final trip to Sunderland WFC – not one of the eight teams beginning the new FA WSL top-flight competition next month – but it took an extra-time Ellen White goal to take Arsenal through 3-2.

In the semi-finals, Arsenal will face second-tier Barnet LFC on 24 April while the week before WSL rivals Liverpool LFC and Bristol Academy WFC meet with the winners to earn a European debut.

Potsdam will face German rivals FCR 2001 Duisburg in the next stage of their UEFA Women's Champions League defence and were hoping that would complete a treble having already retained the Frauen-Bundesliga title. However, in the cup final in Cologne they went down 2-1 to 1. FFC Frankfurt.

Yuki Nagasato cancelled out Svenja Huth's opener just before half-time but Kerstin Garefrekes won it for Frankfurt on 48 minutes. Sole three-time European champions Frankfurt will be back in UEFA competition next season after a two-year absence having finished second, ahead of Duisburg, in the league.