Lyon 3-2 Paris Saint-Germain: Majri seals late Lyon comeback

Amel Majri's late winner ensured Lyon overturned a two-goal deficit to record victory in a UEFA Women's Champions League match for the first time, after a stunning turnaround by Les Lyonnaises.

Match in brief: Lyon stun Paris late on

Eight-time winners Lyon, appearing in a record 13th semi-final in this competition, looked to apply the early pressure against their domestic rivals but found visiting goalkeeper Constance Picaud in inspired form.

The Paris custodian claimed an early Lindsey Horan effort before an acrobatic tip over the bar denied Damaris Egurrola a spectacular long-range goal.

The visitors did post a warning of what was to come midway through the first half when Jackie Groenen's intelligent chipped pass over the Lyon back line almost played in Marie-Antoinette Katoto, but the Paris No9 prodded wide with Christiane Endler narrowing the angle.

Les Lyonnaises ramped up the pressure towards the end of the opening half, with Horan and the lively Delphine Cascarino both drawing stops from Picaud, either side of Lyon skipper Wendie Renard shooting wide on the turn.

After soaking up that Lyon dominance, Paris did capitalise on a rare opportunity just before half-time. Sandy Baltimore's trickery and persistence to get to the byline paid off as her cross was deflected into the path of Katoto, who composed herself before drilling a low finish just inside the post.

With Lyon still reeling from going behind, Katoto doubled the advantage shortly after the restart. The Paris No9 was quickest to react when the dangerous Tabitha Chawinga's strike was charged down, sending a crisp shot into the far corner past the onrushing Endler.

Katoto fires in her secondAFP via Getty Images

Katoto almost sealed her hat-trick in the 71st minute after unselfish play by her fellow forward Chawinga, but the French international forward was unable to beat Endler for a third time.

If the Paris goal had led a charmed life for much of the second half, thoughts of an improbable turnaround began with just over ten minutes remaining when Diani prodded into the far corner for her eighth Women's Champions League goal of the season, to regain her position leading the race to be top scorer from Katoto.

Diani prods home Lyon's firstUEFA via Getty Images

Lyon were in the ascendancy and were soon level, with Melchie Dumornay squeezing a powerful effort just inside the upright after a neat piece of skill on the edge of the area.

Just over 90 seconds after levelling the match, Majri sent the OL Stadium into raptures. Lyon pressed down the right wing before picking out Dumornay in space outside the area. The Haitian international teed up Majri with her back to goal on the edge of the box. A clever feint and turn afforded the Lyon substitute the space to shoot, and the 31-year-old guided a precise finish into the far corner to clinch a famous success.

Lyon hit three goals in an amazing six-minute spellUEFA via Getty Images

Dumornay was named the Player of the MatchUEFA via Getty Images

Visa Player of the Match: Melchie Dumornay

"She repeatedly tested the Paris defence with her speed. She was strong in one-on-one situations, quick, and possessed incredible balance to cover the ball. She had a huge impact on the game."
UEFA Technical Observer panel

Vanessa Tomaszewski, match reporter

In front of a club-record crowd of 38,466 spectators, Lyon's experience eventually told as they turned the tie back in their favour after Katoto's double either side of half-time. Three Lyon goals looked highly improbable in the first half, after they could find no way through Picaud in the Paris goal. This stunning match points to an incredible return fixture at the Parc des Princes.

Reaction

Sonia Bompastor, Lyon coach: "We always believed, even though it's tough to be trailing 2-0. I was positive at half-time, and I told my players that I was proud of them at the end of the match. I knew that once we scored a goal, we could turn the tide! We had that mental and collective strength to go and get those three goals."

Kadidiatou Diani, Lyon forward: "At half-time, the coach said we were playing a good game, that we mustn't give up and that we had the ability to come back. It shows our character, our mental strength. It's important for what's to come."

Melchie Dumornay, Lyon midfielder and Player of the Match, on her goal: "That goal involved the whole team. We knew not to give up the whole game. So, I got the opportunity and I did my job. There was a lot of determination and spirit in that goal, and a lot of passion to take this win."

Jocelyn Prêcheur, Paris coach: "Until the 70th minute, I don't have much to criticise the team for. The frustration lies in not having found a solution for the end of the match. The balance was too much on the defensive aspects in the first half. We wanted to correct that in the second half. We did it, but it's a pity we couldn't keep doing it until the end."

Key stats

• This was the 11th meeting between these clubs in Europe, a new record (one ahead of Chelsea vs Wolfsburg).
• Lyon have never lost in the opening fixture of a two-legged semi-final tie in this competition (W9 D3).
• OL came back to win from two goals down in a Women's Champions League fixture for the first time.
• Les Lyonnaises have lost only two of their 24 matches in the semi-finals of this tournament (W15 D7).

Line-ups

Lyon: Endler; Carpenter, Mbock Bathy (Gilles 53), Renard, Bacha; Horan, Egurrola, Dumornay; Diani, Becho (Van de Donk 58), Cascarino (Majri 76)

Paris: Picaud; Le Guilly (Vangsgaard 76), Gaetino, De Almeida, Karchaoui; Geyoro, Groenen, Albert (Samoura 46); Chawinga, Katoto (Martens 76), Baltimore