Three goals from Melchie Dumornay, Kadidiatou Diani and Wendie Renard allowed Olympique Lyonnais to win their 18th French women’s football championship title, their fourth in a row, by winning in the final, at the expense of PSG (3-0), Friday May 17, at home.
The first period was quite dull between two teams assured of competing in the Champions League next season but probably fearing losing this final and ending the current season without a trophy.
Above all, Olympique Lyonnais, who concluded the 22 days of the regular championship as an undefeated leader with twenty victories for two draws with ten points ahead of PSG, whom the Rhodaniennes beat twice (1-0, 2-0).
But the Lyonnaises, eliminated in the round of 16 of the Coupe de France, by Reims on penalties and in the semi-final of the Champions League, eliminated by Arsenal (1-2, 4-1) ensured the minimum by winning this champion title.
Dumornay liberates Lyon
The players of Joe Montemurro, who will leave Lyon to probably join the Australian team, had not hidden before the final that they regretted this play-off formula, unfair according to them after having largely dominated the regular season.
Haitian international Melchie Dumornay (21) freed OL from a burden in added time of the first period by opening the scoring with a shot from the right, at the conclusion of a great collective action developed on the left wing and a pass from the American, Lindsey Heaps (45+2).
Previously, only Kadidiatou Diani had been dangerous for goalkeeper Mary Earps (5) then just before half-time when she failed to widen the gap on a shot that was a little too cross (45+4).
Diani also brought the score to 2-0 at the end of an individual action concluded with a cross shot from the right deflected by Paulina Dudek (80th), a goal rewarding the large domination of the Lyonnaises in the second half when they did not really have control of the game before the break.
In added time, captain Wendie Renard scored with a panenka a penalty awarded with the help of VAR for a hand fault by Océane Hurtré (90+4).
For its part, PSG, dominated on penalties on May 3 in the final of the Coupe de France by Paris FC, without Marie-Antoinette Katoto, substitute at kick-off, announced at OL next season and who only came into play in the 84th minute, appeared harmless.
The der of Le Sommer at OL
The Parisiennes, who have therefore no longer beaten Lyon in the last eleven confrontations, were not even able to take advantage of the hesitations and approximations of the Lyon defense in the first period.
PSG, eliminated in the preliminary round of the Champions League, is ending a gloomy season marked by conflicts.
Arriving last summer, coach Fabrice Abriel, criticized for his management, was notably fired just after the Coupe de France final, replaced as an interim by the Brazilian Paulo Cesar, coach of the club’s U19 women’s team.
To play a role in the Champions League, PSG will still have to strengthen while at OL a wave of departures is expected, notably that of Eugénie Le Sommer who played her last match on Friday.
Others will follow with the objective of renewing the squad under the direction of a new coach.
With AFP
