French sides cruising in their respective UEFA Women's Champions League semi-finals.

Manchester City 1-3 Olympique Lyonnaisreport

Relatively untested at the highest level, many people were keen to see how Manchester City fared against one of the best teams in women’s world football, no better yard-stick to measure yourself against than Lyon. Though many expected the travelling French champions to score not many could predict that City would concede a penalty less than sixty seconds into the game after a clear handball in the box by Carli Lloyd.

The penalty was coolly dispatched by Saki Kumagi and Lyon looked to be cruising, but were surprisingly pegged back a few minutes later when Toni Duggan found enough space to send a through ball behind for Kosovare Asllani to chase. With the Lyon back line unnecessarily high, there was acres of space for the Swedish international to run into as she raced through the final third and sent the ball beyond Sarah Bouhaddi.

Once again the fans at the CFA didn’t have to wait long for the next goal as Dzsenifer Marozsán found her own space in front of the defence and ripped a shot beyond the back line and into the far netting. The goal had been coming and did nothing but highlight the flaws in how City were playing, the hosts stood off of their markers, space offered up across the pitch for the current Champions League holders.

The goal to put the tie to bed came about after the hour when Ada Hegerberg’s lay-off was thumped into the net by substitute Eugénie Le Sommer. Another move to showcase the errors of City’s ways. Unable to play their way, the hosts looked short on ideas in both defence and attack, a late drive from Georgia Stanway enough to spark some life back into the tie, the promising teenager willing to dance her way through and ask questions of the untested defence as three swift chances for the hosts went begging at the death.

At 3-1, City have to go to Lyon and score at least three goals, something that seems near impossible, OL rarely beaten at home let alone by such a margin. For their part, Lyon are sure to do as professional as ever in the second-leg, a team used to showing up no matter the game or opposition.

Although not at their best on the day, with a Champions League final looming you’d expect Lyon to turn on the style at the Parc OL and give – what should be a very healthy crowd – a good show.

Barcelona 1-3 Paris Saint-Germain

Much like in Manchester, there was only one side in control in Spain and it wasn’t the hosts.

Able to take the lead early into the game courtesy of a Marie-Laure Delie strike, the hosts were still reeling after watching the French international turn and shoot in the box, Sandra Paños beaten 26 minutes in. Delie only the second player to score past the Catalans after FC Minsk’s Emueje Ogbiagbevha in mid-October, Barca able to boast four clean sheets since.

But PSG weren’t done there and continued to make their dominance count, Cristiane’s goal ten minutes before half-time enough to have the 10,352 strong crowd at the Mini Estadi fearing the worst. The Brazilian’s towering head a nod to the determination of the visitors to reach Cardiff.

Shirley’s Cruz’ deft lob not long after the restart all but confirmed the Parisiens would be the ones heading into the final, once more the home defence shown up by the traveling team but more worrying for Xavi Llorens’ team was how blunt they looked. Not having been past the quarter-finals before and knowing they were narrowly knocked out of the competition by the same opposition last year can’t have helped the hosts, a pressurised semi-final in front of a huge crowd possibly too much for Barcelona.

But, like Man City, Barca gave themselves some hope at the death when substitute Bárbara Latorre grabbed a goal for the home fans to celebrate just six minutes after her late introduction. The 24 year-old able to get in behind before beating Sabrina Delannoy to the ball, Katarzyna Kiedrzynek’s clean-sheet surrendered in the 89th minute.

Once again, like their Division 1 Féminine counterparts, PSG have looked ruthless at home using Paris as a fortress and it would require not just a superb performance from Barcelona but an off day from the hosts for the Spanish side to progress to the final.

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About the author
Sophie Lawson
Neutral football fan travelling around Europe, covering matches and bothering footballers for interviews