LONDON:Defensive mistakes cost Arsenal again as they kicked off their defense of the Women’s Champions League title with a 2-1 home loss to Lyon on Tuesday.
Alessia Russo gave Arsenal an early lead before Melchie Dumornay’s quick double turned the match around for record eight-time winner Lyon in the first round of matches of the new-look tournament.
After the men switched from a group phase to a league-based format last season, the Women’s Champions League made the move, too.
Barcelona, who lost to Arsenal in the final last season, thrashed Bayern Munich 7-1 in one of three other matches on Tuesday.
Arsenal had a tricky start to the domestic season and failed to win their previous three matches but they took the lead in the seventh minute against Lyon thanks to two of their European Championship-winning players.
Pure persistence from Beth Mead saw her force her way into the area, drawing several players before laying it off to England teammate Russo to fire across into the bottom right corner.
Arsenal gifted the visitors the equalizer in the 18th minute when Daphne van Domselaar controlled a back pass but played it straight to Dumornay. The Arsenal goalkeeper thought she had redeemed herself by saving the attempt but Dumornay slotted the rebound past her and into an empty net.
A defensive lapse cost Arsenal again five minutes later, allowing Dumornay to curl into the top right corner.
Lyon lost to Arsenal in last season’s semifinals.
The 18-team league phase ends in December. Teams that finish first to fourth in the standings advance directly to the quarterfinals. Those ranked Nos. 5 to 12 go to a knockout playoff round. The bottom six teams are eliminated.
Pina’s return
Substitute Clàudia Pina returned from injury and scored a late double to add gloss to the scoreline for Barcelona.
Pina missed Barcelona’s last league match with a thigh injury but she was brought on early in the second half. By that point Barcelona were already 4-1 up and Ewa Pajor extended that advantage moments later with her second of the night.
Two-time Ballon d’Or winner Alexia Putellas scored Barcelona’s opener with a sublime, curled finish and also weighed in with two assists.
Esmee Brugts and Salma Paralluelo netted Barcelona’s other goals, either side of Klara Bühl’s strike for Bayern.
Anniversary goals
Juventus defender Cecilia Salvai marked the 10th anniversary of her debut in the Women’s Champions League with her first two goals in the competition as her team came from behind to beat Benfica 2-1 in the early match.
Lucia Alves’ scored the first goal of the revamped competition in the sixth minute, finishing off Nycole Raysla’s cross with an emphatic close-range strike.
However, Juventus took control of the match from that point, driven by a lively performance from Barbara Bonansea down the right.
And the veteran Italy international was key to Juve’s equalizer in the 22nd minute, beating two players in the area before lifting the ball across for Salvai to head past Lena Pauels.
It was Salvai’s first goal in the competition — 10 years to the day after making her Women’s Champions League debut for Verona.
Juventus had numerous chances to take the lead and Bonansea also had a goal ruled out for offside shortly before halftime.
The Bianconere snatched the win in the 86th minute when a corner was flicked on and Salvai stuck out a leg to volley it into the back of the net.
Debutants delight
European debutants OH Leuven fought back from two goals down to draw 2-2 at Paris FC.
Paris appeared to be in command after a dominant first half where they went 2-0 up inside 23 minutes through Daphne Corboz and Clara Mateo.
However, Kim Everaerts pulled one back at the start of the second half and Sara Pusztai netted the equalizer in the 62nd.
Leuven is the first Belgian team to make the league phase or group stage of the competition.
