Schelin double gives Lyon upper hand

Olympique Lyonnais head to the Parisian suburbs next Sunday for the second leg of this UEFA Women's Champions League semi-final against FCF Juvisy Essonne on course for their fourth successive showpiece appearance after two goals from Lotta Schelin and a Wendie Renard effort.

In front of almost 22,000 at Stade de Gerland, the holders recorded their 36th successive victory in all competitions. Although Lyon spurned a string of chances after the break, Schelin's calmly-taken second in stoppage time gives Patrice Lair's side a sizeable cushion to defend on 21 April.

Though not always apparent, Lyon's ruthlessness was best exemplifed by the counterattack that brought their opener, from which Juvisy never recovered, after 18 minutes. Gaëtane Thiney found herself in a promising position on the edge of the hosts' penalty area, but, having retrieved possession, Lair's team swept downfield to supply Schelin with a clear run on goal.

Lyon held the monopoly on chances for the remainder of the match. Camille Abily's shot from 20 metres was tipped round a post by Marion Mancion, Schelin disturbed the side netting from an acute angle and Louisa Necib was then off target after one of many surging runs down the right from Eugénie Le Sommer.

Le Sommer switched to the left in the second half after the introduction of Élodie Thomis and continued to be a threat. She sent Schelin into an identical position to that of her first goal, only for the Sweden striker to shoot wide. However, a deserved second was not long in coming as Renard's thunderous 63rd-minute header, from captain Sonia Bompastor's free-kick, defeated Mancion.

That was not the sum of Lyon's ambition as they sought to put the tie beyond doubt. Schelin chipped over after a charging run down the wing from Lara Dickenmann and then had two further opportunities, one of them repelled by Mancion from point-blank range, with Laëtitia Tonazzi denied on the rebound against her former club.

Just when it seemed that Lyon would have to settle for two, Schelin escaped the defence to score her fifth goal of this season's competition in off the far post and further stiffen Juvisy's task.