LONDON, UK — Arsenal women football team don make two changes for dem starting XI as dem prepare for UEFA Women's Champions League semi-final second leg against Lyon on Sunday, April 27, 2025. Coach Renee Slegers bring back Daphne van Domselaar wey don recover from injury to take Manuela Zinsberger place for goal, and Chloe Kelly go start ahead of Beth Mead. Arsenal dey 2-1 down on aggregate, and if dem match score after 90 minutes, dem go enter extra time and if e still level, na penalties go decide di winner.
Lyon don come into dis match with strong form. Di team go line up with Endler, Carpenter, Gilles, Renard (C), Bacha, Egurrola, Heaps, Dumornay, Diani, Hegerberg, and Chawinga. Dem substitutes be Benkarth, Huerta, Junttila Nelhage, Majri, Dabritz, Le Sommer, Marozsan, Van de Donk, Sombath, Svava, Becho, and Tarciane.
For Arsenal, di starting players be van Domselaar, Fox, Williamson, Catley, Mariona, Little (C), McCabe, Maanum, Kelly, Foord, and Russo, with substitutes Zinsberger, Williams, Wubben-Moy, Ilestedt, Reid, Nighswonger, Walti, Cooney-Cross, Pelova, Kafaji, Mead, and Blackstenius. Di match dey expect high tension as Arsenal dey fight to overturn di aggregate.
As Arsenal dey prepare for di encounter, Slegers talk say, “We get belief in our ability serve and I believe say we fit turn di table against Lyon. We don show we fit perform for big matches and dis one na another chance to prove our mettle.”
Lyon don face Arsenal six times for di competition before, win four times and Arsenal don win just once. But dis na di first time dem dey face each other for semi-final stage for dis year’s campaign.
For di first leg wey happen earlier for di season, Lyon take dem 4-1 for their home ground but Arsenal dey ready to fight back. Coach Joe Montemurro of Arsenal don emphasize di need for sharper finishing and better control of di game since dem get clear opportunities in di first leg but fail to convert dem.
“We gats tighten our defensive line and make sure say dem no penetrate us so easily. If we fit create chances and put dem away, we go stand a chance for dis match,” Montemurro insist.
Lyon star, Wendie Renard wey miss di first leg due to injury, expect to return, adding more experience and strength to di Lyon defense. Di manager for Lyon, Sonia Bompastor, stress di importance of playing their game and no allow Arsenal push dem off balance.
“We get to stay focused and not allow emotions cloud our game. We fit win if we play our style and no lose possession,” Bompastor express.
Fans for both side dey expect plenty action as di match dey set to kick off at 20:00 UK time. Dem fit follow di match live on DAZN and TNT Sports as dem battle for Champions League glory.
