Soccer-Arsenal beat Lyonnes 2-1 in Women's Champions League semi-final first leg


Soccer Football - UEFA Women's Champions League - Semi Final - First Leg - Arsenal v OL Lyonnes - Emirates Stadium, London, Britain - April 26, 2026 Arsenal's Olivia Smith celebrates scoring their second goal Action Images via Reuters/Paul Childs

LONDON, April 26 (Reuters) - ⁠Holders Arsenal came from behind to ⁠secure a 2-1 win over OL Lyonnes ‌thanks to an own goal and a late strike from Canadian Olivia Smith in the first leg of ​their Women’s Champions League semi-final ⁠at the Emirates Stadium ⁠on Sunday.

The champions trailed in the first half ⁠when ‌Jule Brand cut inside and fired past Daphne van Domselaar to give ⁠the visitors the lead but Lyon defender ​Ingrid Syrstad ‌Engen put through her own net to ⁠bring ​the scores level in the 59th minute.

Arsenal's Canada forward Smith then made the most of a ⁠mix-up between Engen and goalkeeper ​Christiane Endler in the 83rd to slot the ball into an empty net and give the ⁠Londoners a narrow advantage to take into next week's second leg.

In Saturday's semi, Bayern Munich held visiting Barcelona to a 1-1 draw, ​Ewa Pajor giving the Spaniards ⁠an early lead and defender Franziska Kett equalising ​for Bayern in the ‌second half before being sent ​off for pulling Salma Paralluelo's hair.

(Reporting by Philip O'Connor; Editing by Ken Ferris)

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