8/10/25
Above: Melchie Dumorney celebrates last night. Photo: Sky Sports.
Arsenal 1-2 Olympique Lyonnes
Five Impetus writers – Alice de Koster-Kitto, Ava Elliott, Ben Gilby, Genevieve Henry and Isabelle Campbell look at specific areas of Arsenal’s Champions League tie with Olympique Lyonnes last night.
Arsenal’s Champions League defence began with a defeat at Meadow Park as eight-time winners Olympique Lyonnes proved to be just too good.
The history of encounters between these two sides in recent times has seen the away side come out on top, and that was the case once more on a very mild evening in Hertfordshire – but Arsenal were their own worst enemies as they saw their winless streak extend to four games.
Misfiring Gunners overpowered
by Ben Gilby at Meadow Park
To have any chance of defeating Lyon, every player has to be at 100% and there can be no basic errors. That was not the case for the defending European champions last night.
Renée Slegers made five changes from her side’s defeat at Manchester City on Saturday, whilst managing player minutes is important with two such huge games in close proximity, it also comes with major risk. Overall, that risk did not pay off for the North Londoners.
Arsenal’s back four consisted of two players in Katie Reid and Taylor Hinds, who have limited Champions League experience against the very best. Reid has been outstanding in the WSL, coming in for Leah Williamson, but it needs to be emphasised that she is a player at the beginning of her career, and facing the physicality and extreme press from Lyon is something that the Gunners’ more seasoned players found challenging.
Hinds stuck to her task doggedly, but was not able to offer the sort of offensive outlet and all-round nous that Katie McCabe has.
Arsenal’s strong start to the game was the result of fast-paced passing movements that allowed them to play through Lyon, resulting in Beth Mead feeding Alessia Russo for the home side’s early goal. However, after that, the French side showed exactly why they are this competition’s most successful club.
Jonatan Giráldez set his team up to play an ultra-high press – one that was employed with extreme pace. The Gunners had no time to play their passes and were forced into playing backwards, and the lack of time given to them was so marked that possession was coughed up with regularity.
In addition, Arsenal’s defence was uncomfortable with the physical presence and direct running of Lyon. The equaliser came when Daphne van Domselaar mistimed her clearance kick, which ran meekly to Melchie Dumorney. Whilst the Dutch keeper made an excellent save initially, the rebound fell for the Haitian superstar to score.
Dumorney made the most of another error at the back as the pressure on the home defence continued to rack up. An errant pass was rocketed into the net by the attacker for her second goal in five minutes.
Kadidiatou Diani was putting on a masterclass along the right. Put simply, Arsenal couldn’t handle her. Her physicality, pace, and know-how were just too much.
Faced with the ultra-press, the Gunners had very little outlet. They needed pace, and Mead wasn’t quite able to offer it.
Lyon had the time on the ball that the North Londoners were not allowed to have.
Moving forwards
by Ava Elliott
Arsenal’s form in recent weeks has deviated far from expectation off the back of last year’s UWCL triumph. After a continuous run of impressive comebacks last season, there was no spark of inspiration or breakthrough to find an equaliser at the very least.
Whilst this defeat feels heavy, there is still time for the Gunners to turn the tides, but in order to do so the errors of last night’s game cannot keep occurring.
It’s clear that the absence of Leah Williamson is a burning, obvious loss from that backline. Whilst the defender is currently projected to make a return before Christmas, there has to be a vast improvement in defensive composure and organisation.
As mentioned previously, the pairing of Reid and Hinds is a duo that lack experience, and coming toe to toe with the likes of Diani and Dumornay is no easy feat. Further, the defence often pushed too high and exposed a lot of space that Lyon were quick to attack and exploit. Evaluating positioning, and crucially after Van Domselaar’s mistakes the communication on field, will be key to delve into to ensure no more risky passes cost a win or a lead.
Whilst Lyon were a level above, Arsenal struggled hugely. Overall they looked uncomfortable in possession, lacked a sense of urgency when in attacking positions and their performance on the pitch lacked the edge they seemed to have last season.
With countless variables to take into account moving forwards, it feels as if a reset is needed across all levels to rediscover that resilient team with so much potential to go the extra mile. Turning a season around after such a stale start will take a huge shift in energy, and the next fixtures both domestically and in Europe will be huge for the Gunners.
Steph Catley: Standing up to a tough test
by Isabelle Campbell
In Arsenal’s first UEFA Women’s Champions League match of the season, and their first as defending champions, Steph Catley delivered a composed and reliable performance in a tough 2-1 defeat to Olympique Lyonnes.
While she’s been without regular centre-back partner Leah Williamson for an extended period due to injury, Catley continues to adapt alongside young defender Katie Reid. This new partnership faced a serious test against Lyon’s stacked front line, but Catley held her shape well and remained a steady presence in a high-pressure environment.
She also looked to contribute further up the pitch, making a strong forward run in the 21st minute in an effort to spark some attacking momentum. Though no teammate was there to connect with the play, it showed her willingness to impact both ends of the pitch.
Defensively, she had to deal with constant threats from the likes of Melchie Dumornay, Marie-Antoinette Katoto, and Kadidiatou Diani, and her positioning and consistent tracking back helped to limit what could have been more damaging moments.
A highlight came in the 70th minute, when she denied Dumornay a likely hat-trick with a smart, well-timed block. It wasn’t her flashiest performance, and Arsenal struggled collectively at times, but Catley’s consistency, game sense, and work rate stood out once again.
In truth, what looks like a bad day for Steph Catley would still be one of the best performances a lot of players could hope for, a clear reflection of the level she operates at.
Caitlin Foord: Strong impact – should have started?
by Alice de Koster-Kitto
Caitlin Foord replaced Chloe Kelly in the match, coming off the bench in the 55th minute. Her attacking strength and speed made an immediate impact on the pace of the game.
Whilst Foord wasn’t able to get a goal back for her side, it wasn’t for the lack of effort. Notably, the Matilda’s effort four minutes into stoppage time was the closest the Gunners had come to an equalizer for most of the game; however, the ball fell just wide of the goal.
Foord provides a great replacement for Chloe Kelly, almost seamlessly slipping into her place. Both Kelly and Foord play a very physical, fast-paced game, which, while one of the most important elements in this Arsenal squad, isn’t always easily maintained for 90 minutes. Having these interchangeable, yet versatile forwards, allows that agility to stay at a steady level throughout the game, without the front line burning out under pressure.
Among her footwork and ability to take charge of the ball, it’s Foord’s speed and intuition that helped change the landscape for her teammates. She provides a sense of security on the pitch, which allows her teammates to take chances and risky passes, knowing that Foord is there to capitalise on them. The Australian’s footballing instincts and ability to read the game allowed her to accurately pass to her teammates in a way that caught the opponents off guard, consequently creating opportunities.
Although none of the chances created by or in conjunction with Foord came to fruition, there was a shift in momentum that could be felt throughout the second half, which gave her team and their fans a touch of promise at the tail end of a match that at times seemed quite lost.
Kyra Cooney-Cross: Time for more minutes?
by Genevieve Henry
After just getting her first minutes of the season on Saturday, Kyra Cooney-Cross got subbed in to face Lyon in the 75th minute. While she barely put a foot wrong in her brief stint on the field, her impact could have been maximised if she had been given more time.
Cooney-Cross’s ability to take control of a game and create chances is much better utilized when given more time to settle into the game – and during Arsenal’s moments out of possession, her relentless chasing could have been vital in winning momentum back.
As soon as she came on the pitch, Cooney-Cross was given license to deliver set-pieces. While neither of her deliveries made much impact due to Lyon’s aerial superiority, this shows great confidence in Cooney-Cross’s ability over a deadball.
The Australian was able to showcase some of her best qualities in her short time on the field. She was able to maneuver her way out of multiple players a few times and attempt to make a creative move. She showed good strength against Kadidiatou Diani and Melchie Dumornay, the latter of whom she chased around the pitch and frustrated until the final whistle.
Even with the lack of playing time, Cooney-Cross looked perfectly competent and energizing. Overall, her performance was that of a player who should be starting for her club.
Teams: ARSENAL (4-2-3-1): van Domselaar, Fox, Reid, Catley, Hinds, Little, Caldentey, Kelly, Maanum, Mead, Russo. Substitutes used: Foord (for Kelly 55′), Smith (for Reid 55′), Blackstenius (for Russo 75′), Cooney-Cross (for Caldentey 76′), McCabe (for Hinds 87′).
Scorer: Russo 7′.
OLYMPIQUE LYONNES (4-3-3): Endler, Tarciane, Renard, Engen, Bacha, Dumorney, Heaps, Shrader, Diani, Katoto, Chawinga. Substitutes: Joseph (for Chawinga 63′), Brand (for Joseph 68′), Egurrola (for Heaps 68′), Yohannes (for Shrader 76′), Hegerberg (for Katoto 76′).
Scorers: Dumorney 18′, 23′.
Referee: Maria Ferrieri Caputi (ITA).
Attendance: 3,023.
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