Olympique Lyonnais (OL) did not win, but the hardest part is done. Sonia Bompastor’s players conceded a draw (2-2) against SK Brann on Thursday, December 21, in Bergen (Norway), during the fourth day of the group stages of the Champions League. This result allows them to validate their ticket for the quarter-finals of the competition.
In the cold and the wind – and even the snow, at the end of the game -, on artificial pitch, Amel Majri, receiving a cross from the Australian Ellie Carpenter, opened the scoring for Lyon in the 6th minute. In the process, Ada Hegerberg, returning for the first time to her native country with her club, brought the score to 2-0 by converting a penalty (12th). But Justine Kielland then reduced the score for the locals with a shot into the top corner, following a poor dismissal from Canadian Vanessa Gilles (34th).
After the surprising exclusion, in the 52nd minute, of the American Lindsay Horan due to a slight clash with Karoline Haugland, the meeting changed its appearance: Brann’s domination then increased. OL, deprived of injured defender Wendie Renard, held up well while outnumbered, but gave in during a final corner, conceding a goal from Signe Gaupset, OL goalkeeper Christiane Endler having failed to score. to win in the air (90th 4).
“We will have to win one of the last two matches again.”
“I liked the face of my team, who showed courage,” declared Sonia Bompastor, the Rhone coach, at a press conference. I am disappointed for the players. I would have liked them to be rewarded with a better result at the end of the game. It is frustrating to have conceded this goal at the very last minute. »
Lyon now has 10 points, three more than its evening rival (second with seven points), with a very favorable goal difference (13 against 0), and above all nine lengths ahead of Sankt Pölten and Slavia Prague . The two teams were scheduled to face each other on Thursday at 9 p.m., but the match was postponed due to the shooting which left fourteen people dead at a university in the Czech capital.
“For me, qualification is a given, even if there is still the other match between Sankt Pölten and Slavia Prague to play,” argued Sonia Bompastor. We will wait to be sure of finishing in first place, and we will have to win one of the last two matches. »
The two other French representatives in the Champions League, Paris Saint-Germain and Paris FC, won on Wednesday, confirming their recovery. They can still believe in qualifying for the quarter-finals.