USWNT-heavy Lyon, Chelsea notch lopsided wins in Women’s Champions League

Tuesday saw the usual suspects dominate the UEFA Women’s Champions League. OL Lyonnes, Chelsea and Barcelona all topped the table with lopsided victories. Barcelona and Manchester United are also in contention to join Lyon in Wednesday’s matches. Ada Hegerberg led the way for the new-look Wolfsburg team, while Wendie and Sam Kerr scored a brace each. The Blues are now only two points behind Lyon. Chelsea, meanwhile, assumed full control in Austria with a 6-0 win over St. Polten, Sam Kerr and U.S. women’s national team star Catarina Macario each bagging a brace to put the Blues just two points behind Lyon.The most dramatic result on Tuesday came in Spain, where Real Madrid salvaged a point with an equalizer in the 98th minute against Paris FC, keeping the hosts in the mix for the top four spots that guarantee a direct berth in the quarterfinals.Tuesday’s resultsRoma 0, Valarenga 1Real Madrid 1, Paris FC 1St. Polten 0 Chelsea 6OL Lyonnes 3 Wolfsburg 1Lyon a cut-above the rest?Wolfsburg’s trip to Lyon marks the latest chapter of a storied competition between the two teams, who met in four Women’s Champions League finals during the last decade. Lyon’s 3-1 victory over Wolfsburg is a clear indication of the divergent paths taken by these two teams since their 2020 final meeting.

Lyon was one of the rare teams to score more than their predicted goals in a single game. They scored three on the day, but only four from the 21 shots they took. Much has been made of Lyon’s new look but on Tuesday, two veterans stood above the rest – Hegerberg and Renard. Hegerberg’s brace was a showcase for Lyon’s strength. She also generated 1.32 goals expected on her own. The 30-year-old may not always hog the spotlight but no one Lyon needs to – the team boasts goalscorers like Kadidiatou Diani and has hoarded so much midfield talent that Lily Yohanens came off the bench. Jonatan Giraldez is blessed with a wealth of talent, making him the favorite to win the title.
USWNT stars shine for ChelseaChelsea’s American invasion on full display was at St. Polten where USWNT trio Macario Naomi Girma Alyssa Thomson were each named as starters. Macario had an outstanding performance in Austria, with two goals, and 11 shots. Kerr also scored a pair of goals, her first for the Blues for nearly two-years. Chelsea had a dominant performance, with 42 shots and only 1 goal conceded, while generating 5,38 expected goals. Chelsea’s depth is their greatest strength, but they still face tougher tests in their quest for their first title. Chelsea’s matchday 4 with Barcelona will provide a better indication of the Blues ability to compete, particularly as they aim for a Top Four finish.

Real Madrid salvage a late pointReal Madrid is no longer perfect in the Champions League, but they were able to end Tuesday’s match with a win thanks to a last-gasp goal by Scotland international Caroline Weir. The hosts were arguably deserving of the goal – Paris may have limited them to just five shots on target from 23 total attempts but Real Madrid’s expected goal tally was 2.73, making for a solid outing despite the result. Spanish side may be a surprise in Europe this year. They are third in their table, and have had a very impressive season. The week ahead is a big one with two matches: a match in the league against Barcelona and an encounter with Arsenal in the Champions League. They may be underdogs, but they should not be underestimated.

2025-11-12 00:33:26