Summarize and humanize this content to 2000 words in 6 paragraphs in EnglishArsenal showed they can threaten Lyon in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final, but heading to France for next weekend’s decider with a 2-1 deficit is a fair reflection of where they are compared to their opponents.This is the second time Arsenal’s women have reached this stage in three years. By contrast, Lyon have progressed from their previous 11 semi-finals in this competition, going on to win eight of the resulting finals.Renee Slegers’ side have reached the last four on merit. They outplayed Real Madrid in the second leg of their quarter-final and welcomed Lyon to the Emirates Stadium on Saturday having scored more goals (50), earned more points (40) and kept more clean sheets (nine) than any other Women’s Super League team since Slegers took charge following Jonas Eidevall’s October resignation.Despite this, it was clear ahead of kick-off yesterday that the home side were a side looking to create modern history rather than build on existing pedigree.In the period immediately after Arsenal’s smart start — the hosts kept the ball from the kick-off to build the first attack of the game — Lyon showed why they are so respected across Europe. Right-winger Kadidiatou Diani and right-back Ellie Carpenter consistently found space to exploit on that flank before they eventually combined for the opening goal on 17 minutes.“We knew Katie McCabe would probably advance a bit more and I told Kadi to stay a little bit higher in the situation,” said Lyon head coach Joe Montemurro, a former Arsenal manager returning to old haunts. “Then we saw after about 16, 17 minutes, Katie wasn’t going forward and that’s when we found a lot more space in midfield. It’s not going to be the plan next week.”
Montemurro was back at his former club for the Champions League semi-final (Justin Tallis/AFP via Getty Images)The goal showed the intelligence of Lyon’s players, but also the X factor present in their ranks.Once the ball moved into more central areas, Lindsey Heaps homed in on it like a heat-seeking missile, putting constant pressure on Kim Little, forcing the Scot back in a way that rarely happens in WSL matches. That typified the different questions being asked of Arsenal yesterday.Then, after they had levelled it up on 78 minutes, came the two first-time passes and blistering third-player run from Melchie Dumornay through midfield that carved the home side open for Lyon’s winner.This quality is what Arsenal expected from their semi-final opponents, so there was no surprise as such, but Slegers also admitted post-match that “playing against Lyon with these three forwards on the pitch, it’s something that we haven’t faced this season yet so that was one you have to experience to be able to find the solution”.Where Slegers and her coaching staff will be encouraged is how dominant they were in spells throughout the game. She had talked in the build-up to this match about wanting to “take the opportunity by the throat”, and that attitude was evident in the Arsenal performance.Once players had got to grips with the game, there was a better understanding of how to create incisive moments. Neither Beth Mead nor Emily Fox was going to beat Salma Bacha for pace, so they started to look to one-twos and crosses to generate chances. Their two biggest opportunities fell to Frida Maanum after Mead redirected crosses to the back post, but the Norway international failed to execute on both occasions.Both misses were uncharacteristic of Maanum, who has scored eight goals this season, but demonstrated how unusual things can occur when the pressure is on.When Mariona Caldentey converted the penalty won for a foul on Leah Williamson — the recipient of a stamp, an elbow and a punch during the game — they should already have scored.
Caldentey celebrates her equaliser (Paul Harding/Getty Images)Enduring those situations and finding a way to emerge unscathed is something Lyon have far greater experience of dealing with than Arsenal, but this match could serve as a valuable checkpoint before moving forward.Montemurro, who managed Arsenal between 2017 and 2021, has taken those steps himself. “Playing these games (is the difference),” he said, reflecting on his time in north London. “Now Renee has experience of playing a team at the top, dominating for 20 minutes and not scoring, then seeing the game get out of hand.“I’ve seen those moments. Those finals against Chelsea that we lost in the League and FA Cups… those b****y games get away from you and I couldn’t work it out. I’ve learnt now: what to not worry and get emotional about, and what festers in your players, too. It’s the experience of moments.”Slegers pointed to Arsenal playing with more tempo to create bigger spaces as key to easing into the game.The introduction of Chloe Kelly from the bench just after the hour helped and, with a full week until the second leg next Sunday evening, the hope is she can start in Lyon. The on-loan Manchester City forward had only rejoined the group on the eve of the match following a foot injury, so was always destined to play less of a part than her England team-mate Alessia Russo, who started here.Should Kelly be fit enough to be in the initial XI, she will provide a different dimension to the attack.Slegers pointed to Arsenal’s last Champions League visit to Lyon, a 5-1 group-stage win in October 2022, as a source of inspiration for another second leg with a deficit to overcome after losing 2-0 in Madrid last month.
Williamson under pressure from the outstanding Dumornay (Paul Harding/Getty Images)Looking at how Lyon progressed through the quarter-finals against Bayern Munich, a 2-0 away win followed by a 4-1 home victory, does not suggest they will try to sit on their lead — especially with Montemurro in charge. He will be all too aware of Arsenal’s success on that trip to Lyon two and a half years ago, but there are other warning signs to be heeded.“At this level, when it’s knockout with loads of emotion involved, tactics are thrown out the window,” he said. “Players focusing for 95 minutes is not easy. At this level, it’s managing those moments of madness.“There was a lot of discussion yesterday about Lyon (men) versus Manchester United on Thursday night (in the Europa League). I didn’t see tactics there. I just saw two teams going at it, punch for punch. That’s what this team, Lyon, has the ability to do. They can contain the emotion when things get a little out of whack.“It’s not over yet and maybe the pressure has been taken off Arsenal. At 2-1 down coming to Lyon, that’s a dangerous scenario and they’re a good team.”Arsenal still have it all to play for.They overcame a bigger deficit to reach this semi-final, but now might be the time to start taking some swings and see how far that gets them.(Top photo: Paul Harding/Getty Images)
