On a dramatic night at Stamford Bridge, Chelsea booked their place in the Women’s Champions League semi-finals with a thrilling penalty shootout victory over last year’s champions, Lyon. The game was a spectacle for everyone who witnessed it, as two of Europe’s top teams battled it out in a gripping contest that ended with Chelsea triumphing against the odds.
Despite the joy of the victory, Chelsea manager Emma Hayes admitted that she was exhausted following the game. “It was drama, full of drama. I am relieved and exhausted,” she said. The game had been a rollercoaster ride for everyone involved, with Lyon coming to London needing to overturn a 1-0 deficit from the first leg in France. The visitors looked to have done enough when they led 2-1 on aggregate with seconds remaining, but Chelsea showed incredible resilience to take the game to extra time.
The extra period was just as tense as the rest of the match, with both sides creating chances but being unable to find a winner. Then, in the eighth minute of added time, Maren Mjelde scored from the spot to send the game to penalties. In the shootout, Chelsea goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger produced two stunning saves to deny Lyon and securing her team’s victory.
Hayes praised the character of her team, who showed incredible strength and resilience throughout the game. “It was the most character-building performance, even if it was the ugliest,” she said. The victory was made all the more impressive given the number of injuries Chelsea had to deal with during the game. England defender Millie Bright was already out injured, and Eve Perisset and Melanie Leupolz were injured during the match.
For Mjelde, who scored in extra time and the shootout, the victory was a moment she would never forget. “We fought to the end. A crazy game to come back as we did. We never give up,” she said. Berger’s heroics in the shootout were also a highlight of the game, with the goalkeeper revealing that she loves penalty shootouts and felt no pressure. “They have to score, not me!” she said.
Chelsea will now face Spanish giants Barcelona in the semi-finals as they look to win the one trophy that has eluded them under Hayes’ leadership. The victory over Lyon showed that they have the character and resilience to go all the way, and they hope to produce more special moments in the next round.
