Russo’s early strike undone by two Dumornay goals as Lyon punish Arsenal’s costly errors
Arsenal’s Champions League title defence began in disappointment on Tuesday night as they fell 2-1 to French giants Lyon at Meadow Park, with Melchie Dumornay’s first-half double overturning an early goal from Alessia Russo.
In a frenetic opening 23 minutes, Beth Mead’s pinpoint assist allowed Russo to fire Arsenal ahead, sending home fans into raptures. But their joy was short-lived. Within minutes, a series of defensive blunders handed Lyon the initiative and, ultimately, all three points.
Goalkeeper Daphne van Domselaar’s misplaced clearance gifted Dumornay her first chance, which she buried with composure to level the game. Just four minutes later, Mariona Caldentey’s loose pass in midfield set Lyon on another attack. Dumornay pounced again, curling a superb strike beyond Van Domselaar to make it 2-1.
It was a ruthless display from the eight-time European champions, who maintained their record of never losing on English soil. Lyon’s precision and physicality overwhelmed Arsenal, who managed only five shots on target to the visitors’ nine. The French side created four major chances and might have extended their lead had they been more clinical.
For Renée Slegers’ team, the defeat extends a worrying run of form. Arsenal are now winless in four matches across all competitions and have lost their last two, following a domestic defeat to Manchester City in the Women’s Super League.
After the match, Slegers admitted her side had allowed Lyon too much control. “I think we had a good start and Lyon are a very, very strong team,” she told arsenal.com. “But for too many minutes, they dictated how the game looked instead of us dictating it.
“We needed to match their physicality and tempo, but we also wanted to play our own game — to be good on the ball and intense in our pressing. We did that in moments, but not over 90 minutes.”
Slegers added that the team must rediscover their rhythm quickly ahead of Sunday’s home clash with Brighton. “It’s a mixture of things right now, a cocktail of details,” she said. “But we believe that if we get one or two things right, the rest will rise with it.”
Lyon, meanwhile, looked every inch the seasoned European powerhouse. Dumornay, still only 21, showcased the combination of flair and composure that has made her one of the continent’s most exciting young midfielders. She dictated play with poise and punished Arsenal’s lapses with ruthless efficiency.
Arsenal’s performance was marred by individual errors, a lack of sharpness in midfield, and an uncharacteristic nervousness in defence. Despite flashes of quality from Mead, Vivianne Miedema, and Caitlin Foord, the Gunners struggled to maintain control against Lyon’s relentless pressing.
Sky Sports analyst Laura Hunter described Arsenal’s dip in form as “alarming,” noting that the team appeared “off-balance and low on confidence.” She wrote: “It’s unusual for Arsenal to make this many mistakes. Lyon’s intensity was too much, and the Gunners lost the duel count 45-55, conceding 11 shots inside their own box. Something isn’t right.”
Speaking to Disney+ after the match, Russo acknowledged the team’s current struggles but urged calm. “We’re in a bit of a blip, but we’re aware of it,” she said. “Sometimes we let teams get at us through our own mistakes. We need to take accountability and focus on what we can control. There were positive moments, and we’ll lean on those.”
The defeat leaves Arsenal already playing catch-up in their Champions League group, with a crucial away fixture against Benfica next week. Before that, they return to domestic duty, desperate to arrest a sudden and troubling slide.
For now, though, Lyon’s class and composure once again proved the difference — and Arsenal’s quest to retain their European crown has begun on uncertain footing.