Arsenal’s defence of their Womens’ Champions League title got off to an inauspicious start as they fell to a 2-0 defeat to eight-time champions Lyon.
Alessia Russo put the hosts in front at Meadow Park with a sweetly-timed shot from an excellent Beth Mead pass, just seven minutes into proceedings.
But two terrible defensive errors cost them dearly, with keeper Daphne van Domselaar at fault for Lyon’s equaliser as Melchie Dumornay latched onto a poor pass out of the area.
Five minutes later Dumornay secured the double, with Lyon closing down Mariona Caldentey and playing it forward to Haiti international, who planted a screamer past van Domselaar.
Arsenal had chances to get back into it but ultimately could not break down a superb Lyonnais defence, with the French giants continuing their formidable unbeaten start to the season.
Follow all the latest build-up, team news and minute-by-minute updates from the match in our live blog below:
Arsenal vs Lyon LIVE
- Arsenal kick off their Women's Champions League title defence against French goliaths Lyon | Kick-off at 8pm BST, live on Disney+
- Arsenal XI: Van Domselaar, Fox, Reid, Catley, Hinds, Mariona, Little, Maanum, Kelly, Mead, Russo
- Lyon XI: Endler, Tarciane, Renard, Engen, Bacha, Shrader, Heaps, Diani, Dumornay, Chawinga, Katoto
- '7 GOAL! Russo gets Champions League defence off to fine start [ARS 1-0 OL]
- '18 GOAL! Van Domselaar error ruthlessly punished by Dumornay [ARS 1-1 OL]
- '23 GOAL! Sloppy errors cost Arsenal as Dumornay pounces for quickfire brace [ARS 1-2 OL]
'We are among the favourites' - Melchie Dumornay
22:15 , Flo CliffordDouble scorer Melchie Dumornay, speaking via an interpreter, tells Disney+: “It was a tough match. It’s important to win our first game away from home. But it’s a long competition and we have to keep improving as we go.
“Of course we were motivated to put things right after last season [the semi-final defeat]. We put everything into it and got the result.
Asked whether they are now the favourites to win it, she demurs. “We are among the favourites. There are lots of good teams. We need to keep working hard and improving on the pitch, because that’s what matters.”
'We showed resilience' - Kim Little
22:10 , Flo CliffordKim Little tells Disney+ it was “not the result we wanted”.
“But there were positives to take, especially after our previous performances in the league. We made mistakes but we showed resilience to stick in it to the end.
“We keep going, we keep working together. We know it can’t be perfect all the time. We’ll come back stronger. We’ve got such quality in this team, as we’ve shown on many occasions.
“It’s a different format,” she says of the new Swiss-style league system. “With that comes a cup final every match.”
FULL TIME: Arsenal 1-2 Lyon
22:05 , Flo CliffordArsenal complete a lap of honour, while Lyon applaud their travelling support and are congratulated by omnipresent owner Michele Kang.
Alessia Russo got the hosts off to a perfect start but two poor defensive errors contributed to a Melchie Dumornay brace, all inside the first half-hour, and that proved enough to settle things at Meadow Park.
Not the start to their title defence the Gunners were hoping for.
FULL TIME: Arsenal 1-2 Lyon
21:56 , Flo CliffordDefeat for Arsenal as they begin their title defence.
Arsenal 1-2 Lyon
21:55 , Flo Clifford90+5 mins: Arsenal have a late, late free-kick. McCabe floats it in, it eventually falls to Foord, who lashes it just wide!
Arsenal have a shout for handball, but it’s denied. The fans chant for VAR. VAR are happy with it.
Arsenal 1-2 Lyon
21:53 , Flo Clifford90+2 mins: It’s sent to a very congested area by the far post, and Van Domselaar does enough to keep it out.
Arsenal 1-2 Lyon
21:51 , Flo Clifford90+2 mins: Six minutes added on.
Smith trips Brand and Lyon have a free-kick, just to the left, 20 yards out, in a very promising position...
Arsenal 1-2 Lyon
21:49 , Flo Clifford90 mins: Yohannes barges over Smith. This hasn’t been the prettiest half of football, it has to be said.
McCabe finally gives Endler something to do after a fairly quiet spell, forcing a quick save.
Arsenal 1-2 Lyon
21:47 , Flo Clifford87 mins: Hinds is replaced by McCabe.
Five minutes left for Arsenal to try to find something and Lyon to cling on.
Yohannes shoves Little over as she tries to keep possession.
Arsenal 1-2 Lyon
21:45 , Flo Clifford85 mins: Hegerberg latches onto a deep cross but can’t quite get the angle on her header.
Maanum gets a yellow for very little, it’s Bacha again who draws the foul and makes a meal of it. The Norwegian visibly bites her tongue.
Arsenal 1-2 Lyon
21:42 , Flo Clifford82 mins: Van Domselaar slips slightly as she takes a goal-kick, but fortunately the defence spare her blushes. No one has looked particularly secure tonight, except perhaps Dumornay.
She nows fancies a hat-trick, but forces a diving save from van Domselaar.
Arsenal 1-2 Lyon
21:40 , Flo Clifford81 mins: Tarciane is booked for a cynical foul on Smith. Fair bit of edge to this one tonight.
Bacha hits the deck heavily under minimal pressure and secures a free-kick, despite it looking like there was zero contact from Foord at all. The home fans aren’t happy.
It comes to nothing.
Arsenal 1-2 Lyon
21:36 , Flo Clifford77 mins: And a double change from the visitors too. Champions League all-time top scorer Hegerberg is on, as is Yohannes. Katoto and US international Shrader are off, the latter booed resoundingly once more.
Arsenal 1-2 Lyon
21:35 , Flo Clifford75 mins: Bacha forces Arsenal into some backs-against-the-wall defence. It’s been a pretty scrappy half, neither side at their best.
Diani, on the half-turn, thumps straight at van Domselaar.
Boos ring out as Shrader lands late on Little’s foot.
More changes for Arsenal: Cooney-Cross and Blackstenius on for Caldentey and goalscorer Russo.
Arsenal 1-2 Lyon
21:29 , Flo Clifford70 mins: Changes for Lyon: Brand (for Joseph, who is applauded off by the home fans) and Egurrola (for Heaps) come on.
Shrader forces a save from van Domselaar, but it’s straightforward enough.
Arsenal 1-2 Lyon
21:27 , Flo Clifford67 mins: Break in play as 19-year-old Joseph looks to have hurt herself in a duel. The medical staff are on immediately and she’s helped off by two of them, grimacing. Hopefully that is not as serious as it looked.
Blackstenius is deep in conversation with the Arsenal staff, poring over a clipboard, as it looks like reinforcements are in order for the hosts.
CLOSE! Arsenal 1-2 Lyon
21:24 , Flo Clifford64 mins: Lyon play in short, Bacha passing forward to Diani, who blasts it over the bar.
Just before that Lyon made a change, with Joseph, their top scorer this season, making her Champions League debut.
Goodness me, Arsenal nearly fall 3-1 down, but Katoto slams it into the side-netting before falling to the turf in disbelief.
Arsenal 1-2 Lyon
21:22 , Flo Clifford62 mins: Chawinga rolls harmlessly wide, to raucous jeers.
Russo cuts it back on the right but Maanum can’t quite get to it in time before Lyon clear.
Little concedes a free-kick as she treads on Diani’s foot and this is in a very dangerous spot, just to the right of the centre about 25 yards out from goal...
Arsenal 1-2 Lyon
21:19 , Flo Clifford59 mins: Dumornay has a go from the edge of the box but it deflects awkwardly and Katoto volleys wide from it.
Arsenal have a spell of pressure in the box but can’t create anything from it.
Lightning-flash counter from Lyon, Diani is the danger woman down the right flank but an Arsenal body gets in the way before she can reach her target at the back post.
Arsenal 1-2 Lyon
21:15 , Flo Clifford55 mins: Substitutions. Kelly comes off for Foord, and Mead for £1m signing Smith. Can either of them ignite a comeback?
SAVE! Arsenal 1-2 Lyon
21:13 , Flo Clifford54 mins: Lyon have been a bit slower to start this second half, much like in the first, but are bossing it now.
Bacha fizzes a fine low strike across the face of goal, but it deflects awkwardly out of the box... Arsenal should have had players back to defend that.
Now Arsenal counter and Caldentey thumps a shot goalward, which Endler does well to tip over the bar!
Arsenal 1-2 Lyon
21:08 , Flo Clifford48 mins: Lapse at the back from Lyon and suddenly Arsenal win a corner with a hundred bodies in the box; the visitors can’t clear the ball until finally Catley forces the save from Endler. That’ll encourage the hosts nicely.
Kelly and Mead both put in rather robust challenges; Mead needs to be careful after her booking for dissent earlier.
Arsenal 1-2 Lyon
21:05 , Flo Clifford46 mins: Underway.
Van Domselaar has to collect the ball early as Lyon start where they left off.
SECOND HALF: Arsenal 1-2 Lyon
21:02 , Flo CliffordHere we go again... can Arsenal bring this one back?
Reminder, they lost the first leg of their semi-final 2-1 to Lyon last year, and ultimately won 4-1...
HALF-TIME: Arsenal 1-2 Lyon
20:48 , Flo Clifford45 mins: A somewhat breathless half - and a long Lyon spell of possession - finally comes to an end, to sighs of relief for Arsenal.
They have a lot of work to do. A smattering of boos from the Meadow Park crowd accompany them off the pitch.
SAVE! Arsenal 1-2 Lyon
20:46 , Flo Clifford44 mins: Double save from van Domselaar! First from Chawinga, then from Katoto, who gets the rebound - but the keeper throws herself in the way. After those early errors van Domselaar is keeping Arsenal in this half.
The hosts need to get to half-time, stat.
SAVE! Arsenal 1-2 Lyon
20:44 , Flo Clifford42 mins: Arsenal are suddenly carved open at the back again. Chawinga has a shot fly past the post, before Diani’s lovely looping ball is headed on in the box, but van Domselaar makes a sharp save from Katoto’s flick-on!
Immediately up the other end, but Mead’s attempt is blocked by Tarciane.
Arsenal 1-2 Lyon
20:42 , Flo Clifford40 mins: Dumornay curls in a cross from deep in the direction of Katoto but it’s deflected away and Arsenal immediately counter... Maanum’s cross is slightly aimless and Lyon clear.
The crowd are still in fine voice, willing their side back into this.
Arsenal 1-2 Lyon
20:37 , Flo Clifford35 mins: Bacha has a cross deflected behind for a corner and it pinballs around for a bit before Chawinga thumps it over the bar.
The crowd have been very vocal tonight but the booing is especially loud for Lyon’s Shrader, who has previously come under fire for some anti-LGBTQ+ social media posts and likes.
Mead is next into the book for protesting a slightly over-enthusiastic challenge on Tarciane; the booking is for dissent rather than the challenge.
Arsenal 1-2 Lyon
20:29 , Flo Clifford27 mins: Arsenal are desperate to make amends and throw bodies into the box... Endler makes a diving save from Caldentey’s half-volley, the Spaniard attempting to put matters right after she was closed down for Lyon’s second goal.
Dumornay hooks a leg around Mead and gets a telling off for bringing her down.
Now Kelly blasts over the bar. Chances for both teams, but a little sloppy now.
GOAL! Arsenal 1-2 Lyon
20:25 , Flo Clifford23 mins: Dreadful. Van Domselaar plays a pass out of the box and Lyon pounce on it immediately, playing it forward to Dumornay, and the Haiti international has a second, thumping it past the keeper.
Arsenal 1-1 Lyon
20:24 , Flo Clifford22 mins: That is a terrible error by van Domselaar.
Dumornay has another chance shortly after as Lyon cross to her at the back post, but her header is knocked behind by Fox for a corner. Quick penalty check for handball by Fox... Arsenal get a reprieve. Dicey, dicey moments for the hosts.
GOAL! Arsenal 1-1 Lyon
20:21 , Flo Clifford18 mins: Oh dear. Catastrophic defending from Arsenal and Meadow Park is utterly silent.
Catley plays a back-pass to Domselaar, who attempts to play it back, but Dumornay easily cuts in instead. Her first attempt ricochets off the keeper but as she’s left on the turf the Haitian gets the rebound with ease. So poor.
Arsenal 1-0 Lyon
20:18 , Flo Clifford16 mins: There’s a bit of needle to this one already, some fairly robust challenges.
Endler plays with fire a little as a short back-pass nearly catches her off guard with Russo looking to pounce, but she clears!
Arsenal 1-0 Lyon
20:15 , Flo Clifford13 mins: That was a peach of a pass from Mead, who dug deep despite being surrounded by Lyon shirts to force the ball forward and through to Russo.
Arsenal have started with real intent but Lyon haven’t let their heads drop. Shrader fizzes a low cross across the box but Dumornay’s attempt is a bit wild, taking a nick off Kelly as it flies over the bar.
Lyon win a couple of corners in succession but both are eventually dealt with, a fan catching Dumornay’s attempt to jeers.
GOAL! Arsenal 1-0 Lyon
20:09 , Flo Clifford7 mins: The volume kicks up a notch as Mead floats down the left channel, cutting it back for Maanum in the box, but the visitors clear...
Not far enough though! Mead isn’t daunted, she comes again, and Russo is perfectly positioned to latch onto her forward pass and slot into the bottom corner.
Arsenal 0-0 Lyon
20:07 , Flo Clifford6 mins: VAR is in action tonight, as it is across the Women’s Champions League. Let’s see if we need it...
Referee Maria Ferrieri Caputi gets her book out early as Catley is fouled right in front of both managers’ technical areas.
It’s a poor challenge, Katoto stamping on her foot, and she sees yellow.
Arsenal 0-0 Lyon
20:05 , Flo Clifford3 mins: Russo gets things underway.
Arsenal have a spell of possession but the visitors pin them back early doors. Van Domselaar nearly comes under pressure from a marauding Lyonnais but clears the ball swiftly.
Pressure from Lyon, Dumornay loops in a cross with a surge of pace down the right flank but there’s no one to get on the end of it.
KICK-OFF: Arsenal v Lyon
20:01 , Flo CliffordTitle defence underway!
The last time Lyon played Arsenal away was at the Emirates; Meadow Park may not have quite the same capacity but it’s certainly bringing the same atmosphere.
'Other teams will look at us differently' - Renee Slegers
19:58 , Flo CliffordArsenal head coach Renee Slegers has a quick chat with disney+ ahead of kickoff.
She says: “We always have high expectations on ourselves. But other teams will look at us differently [as champions] and we have to be ready for that.”
“Lyon have a lot of quality, a lot of pace - it will be a hard game but hopefully we can cause them problems.”
Team news reminder
19:55 , Flo CliffordArsenal XI: Van Domselaar, Fox, Reid, Catley, Hinds, Mariona, Little, Maanum, Kelly, Mead, Russo
Lyon XI: Endler, Tarciane, Renard, Engen, Bacha, Shrader, Heaps, Diani, Dumornay, Chawinga, Katoto
Arsenal's WCL fixtures
19:52 , Flo Clifford- 7 October (8pm) v Lyon (H)
- 16 October (8pm) v Benfica (A)
- 12 November (5.45pm) v Bayern Munich (A)
- 19 November 19 v Real Madrid (H)
- 9 December 9 v Twente (H)
- 17 December (8pm) v OH Leuven (A)
New league format
19:47 , Flo CliffordThe Women’s Champions League has had a revamp, following in the footsteps of the men’s equivalent with its “Swiss-style” system.
Essentially there’s an 18-team group phase, with each team playing three matches home and three matches away.
The top four automatically qualify for the quarter-finals, with the teams placed 7th to 12th playing two-legged playoffs for the remaining last eight spots.
The teams from 13th to 18th are eliminated.
Players arrive
19:41 , Flo Clifford
Jonatan Giraldez: Arsenal's performances have been 'interesting'
19:35 , Flo CliffordVisiting manager Jonatan Giraldez said: “Arsenal are a very good team with good players, as they demonstrated last season. It'll be a tough game and we'll have to be perfect. Their recent results haven't been good, but their performances have been interesting.
“I like the new format. I think it's interesting because there is competitiveness between all the teams. It's good for the popularity of the competition.”
Renee Slegers: 'We start from scratch'
19:25 , Flo CliffordHere’s what Renee Slegers had to say in her pre-match press conference: “We're very excited, it all starts over again, so we start from scratch. We're very proud of what we did last year and there was a lot going into that, but we all start over again, and everyone is constantly developing.
“Teams change and we're going to play against an extremely strong opponent tomorrow. They've made a lot of changes as well in their squad. They have a new coach, so we're extremely humble, but we of course also look forward to this occasion tomorrow.”
Tonight's fixtures
19:15 , Flo CliffordPlenty going on tonight in the WCL. Juventus v Benfica has already started, with the score 1-1 and a little over 20 minutes left to play.
Then at 8pm BST Arsenal v Lyon, Barcelona v Bayern Munich, and Paris FC v OH Leuven all kick off.
Line-ups - Lyon
19:00 , Flo CliffordLyon XI: Endler, Tarciane, Renard, Engen, Bacha, Shrader, Heaps, Diani, Dumornay, Chawinga, Katoto
Substitutes: Benyahia, Brand, Becho, Egurrola, Joseph, Juntilla-Nelhage, Lawrence, Micah, Sombath, Hegerberg, Svava, Yohannes
Champions League XI. 🌟 pic.twitter.com/8usg6RI74o
— OL Lyonnes (@ol__lyonnes) October 7, 2025
Team news - Arsenal
18:55 , Flo CliffordArsenal boss Renee Slegers has made five changes to the line-up that started Saturday’s 3-2 WSL defeat to Manchester City, with Katie Reid replacing Lotte Wubben-Moy at centre-back.
Taylor Hinds swaps in for Katie McCabe at left-back, Frida Maanum replaces Victoria Pelova in midfield, and Chloe Kelly and Beth Mead come in for Olivia Smith and Caitlin Foord.
Line-ups - Arsenal
18:48 , Flo CliffordArsenal XI: Van Domselaar, Fox, Reid, Catley, Hinds, Mariona, Little, Maanum, Kelly, Mead, Russo
Substitutes: Zinsberger, Borbe, Wubben-Moy, Codina, McCabe, Nighswonger, Harwood, Cooney-Cross, Pelova, Smith, Foord, Blackstenius
🔴 𝗧𝗘𝗔𝗠𝙉𝙀𝙒𝙎 ⚪️
— Arsenal Women (@ArsenalWFC) October 7, 2025
💪 Hinds and Fox start
🫡 Little with the armband
⚡️ Kelly on the wing
Let’s start as we mean to go on - COYG! 👊
London to host inaugural Women’s Champions Cup finals with Arsenal vying for glory
18:45 , Will CastleLondon will host the final phase of the first Women's Champions Cup tournament early next year, Fifa has announced.
Arsenal will be Europe's representatives in the tournament after their Women’s Champions League success last season.
The tournament, which involves the winners of the premier women's club competition in each of the continental confederations, will be played between January 28 and February 1, Fifa said.
London to host inaugural Women’s Champions Cup finals with Arsenal vying for glory
Is the WSL title already slipping away from Arsenal?
18:30 , Will CastleArsenal’s performances haven’t been to the standard that coach Renee Slegers would want so far this season.
The Gunners have won two, drawn two and lost one of their opening five matches, though that loss came away to a talented Manchester City side on the weekend weekend.
With Chelsea looking unlikely to slip up, dreams of a WSL title are already beginning to fade. But just like last term, domestic imperfections can be easily forgotten if they step up to the plate in Europe.
The almighty test of Lyon
18:15 , Will CastleOpening nights don’t get much harder than this in women’s football.
Lyon are the most successful Women’s Champions League side of all time, boasting a staggering eight titles under their belt.
It’s no surprise that Arsenal had to go through them on their way to triumph in Lisbon last year, with a stunning away leg performance seeing them knock the French goliaths out and progress to the final.
However, Lyon have started the new campaign in typically formidable fashion. Four wins from four in the French top flight, scoring 19 goals in the process, paints a picture of the challenge that awaits Arsenal tonight.
How Renee Slegers and Arsenal masterminded the ‘game of our lives’ to take down Barcelona
18:00 , Jamie BraidwoodThe game plan was prepared, the video analysis had been cut and the tactics board was set out, ready to go. The substitutes, including the two players who would combine to become Arsenal’s match-winners, had received their roles for the week before the Women’s Champions League final: they would pretend to play like Barcelona, to deploy their shape in training and replicate their attacking movements, rotations and overloads against Arsenal’s starting line-up.
Arsenal felt ready as they arrived at the Jose Alvalade Stadium. On the day of the club’s biggest game in a generation, against the best team in the world, there was a sense of calm. They were relaxed and knew the work had been done.
But having a plan is one thing, executing it is another. In Lisbon, Arsenal pulled off both to absolute perfection as Renee Slegers and her coaching staff masterminded the 1-0 victory over Barcelona, shutting out a side that had scored 112 goals in 30 league games this season.
Jamie Braidwood’s analysis from that fabled night in Lisbon:
How Renee Slegers and Arsenal masterminded the ‘game of our lives’
Predicted line-ups
17:45 , Will CastleArsenal XI: Van Domselaar; Fox, Wubben-Moy, Catley; Little, Pelova; Kelly, Caldentey, Foord; Russo
Lyon XI: Endler; Tarciane, Renard, Engen, Bacha; Albert, Heaps; Chawinga, Dumornay, Brand; Katoto
Team news
17:30 , Will CastleArsenal remain without England captain Leah Williamson in defence, but Chloe Kelly could come into the starting line-up after her goal in the defeat to Manchester City on Saturday.
Lyon, meanwhile, will recall numerous key stars after making wholesale changes for the 8-1 win over Lens last time out. Wendie Renard, Selma Bacha, Lindsey Heaps and Jule Brand are among those who could come into the starting lineup, while star striker Marie-Antoinette Katoto will remain a key source of threat.
Is Arsenal vs Lyon on TV?
17:15 , Will CastleArsenal’s clash with Lyon in the Women’s Champions League kicks off at 8pm BST on Tuesday 7 October at Meadow Park in London.
How can I watch it?
Viewers in the UK can watch the game on Disney+, with subscriptions starting at £5.99 per month.
Arsenal vs Lyon LIVE
17:00 , Will CastleGood afternoon and welcome to The Independent’s live coverage of Arsenal’s Women’s Champions League opener against French goliaths Lyon.
The Gunners are the defending champions in Europe’s premier competition, with Renee Slegers guiding the Gunners to a first European title in 18 years last term.
But against the Champions League’s most successful side Lyon, they are tasked with an almighty test to kick off the new campaign, one made harder by the contrasting form of both teams.
Stay tuned for all the latest build-up and team news ahead of the match.
