OL Lyonnes vs Chelsea Women Preview
Chelsea travel to France to face Lyon on Wednesday night for their second Champions League tie of the season. The Blues won their opening game, edging past Austria Wien with a 1-0 victory to make it three wins on the bounce for Sonia Bompastor’s team.
However, they face a tough trip against a Lyon team that won 8-0 in their opener against Servette last week. Can Chelsea topple the French giants, or will they be sent back to England with their unbeaten record in tatters?
Lyon Women vs Chelsea Women Predictions
Score prediction: Lyon 2-1 Chelsea
One of our best football predictions this week is Lyon to edge Chelsea in what should be a standout fixture of the UEFA Women’s Champions League league phase. Both sides began their European campaigns with victories. However, Lyon’s 8-0 demolition of Servette underlined just how dangerous they can be in attack. Chelsea will provide a much tougher test, but home advantage could prove decisive for the French side.
Lyon have made an impressive start to the campaign and will head into this fixture full of confidence. Their huge win over Servette saw them score eight goals. The French side established a commanding advantage before finishing with a comprehensive victory. They have plenty of attacking quality throughout the squad and should be confident of creating chances against Chelsea.
Melchie Dumornay could be one of the biggest threats for Lyon in this game. The Haitian international scored twice against Servette and also registered an assist. That highlighted her ability to influence matches in the final third. Her pace and movement will cause Chelsea problems, particularly if Lyon are able to give her space to run at the visitors’ defence. If Dumornay can reproduce that level of performance, she could play a major role in determining the outcome.
Chelsea will be well aware of the challenge they face, but they also have plenty of reasons to be confident. The Blues opened their Champions League campaign with a 1-0 victory over Austria Vienna. Their defensive organisation could be particularly important against Lyon. Allowing the hosts too much space in attack will quickly turn the game against them.
The French side will also have to be wary of Chelsea’s ability to punish mistakes. Sonia Bompastor knows Lyon well after previously managing the club. Chelsea also have players capable of causing problems in transition. The visitors are unlikely to sit back. If they frustrate Lyon early, they could put the hosts under pressure.
Wieke Kaptein will be a key player for Chelsea if they are to get something from the game. The midfielder scored the winning goal against Austria Vienna and has developed into an important part of Chelsea’s midfield. Her ability to contribute both defensively and in attack could be crucial against a Lyon side that is likely to dominate possession. Chelsea will need Kaptein to help them compete in midfield while also making herself available when opportunities arise going forward.
The tactical battle could ultimately decide this contest. Lyon are likely to try to impose themselves from the start, using their technical quality and movement to stretch Chelsea’s defence. The visitors will need to remain compact while looking for opportunities to counter-attack against some of the best Women’s football players in the competition. If Chelsea can prevent Lyon from finding their forwards in dangerous positions, they should be able to keep themselves in the game.
However, Lyon’s attacking options make them difficult to contain for 90 minutes. They can threaten from several areas of the pitch. Playing at home will provide additional confidence. Chelsea have enough quality to score, but they may struggle to keep Lyon quiet throughout the match.
This should be a competitive encounter between two sides with genuine ambitions in the Women’s Champions League. Chelsea’s defensive organisation could keep the score close, but Lyon’s attacking quality should eventually make the difference. Expect the visitors to find the net, but Lyon should create enough chances to claim all three points.
Lyon vs Chelsea Women Betting Tips
- Full-Time Result and BTTS – Lyon and Yes: We are betting on Lyon to win this game, but Chelsea have enough attacking quality to get on the scoresheet. The French side’s impressive 8-0 victory over Servette demonstrated their attacking threat, while Chelsea should create opportunities of their own. Lyon’s home advantage could prove decisive, but we expect the visitors to make this a competitive contest. Our 2-1 score prediction makes Lyon to win and both teams to score an appealing option for anyone betting on soccer.
- Player to Score – Melchie Dumornay: Dumornay is our pick to find the net for anyone betting on the Women’s Champions League after scoring twice against Servette in Lyon’s Champions League opener. The forward has the pace and movement to cause problems for Chelsea’s defence, particularly when she receives the ball in space. With Lyon expected to create several opportunities, Dumornay should have plenty of chances to add to her European goal tally.
- Over/Under – Over 2.5 Goals: We expect this to be an entertaining game with chances at both ends. Lyon’s attacking form makes them capable of scoring multiple goals. With our predicted 2-1 result producing three goals, over 2.5 goals is another option worth considering if you are betting on the over/under.
Lyon Women vs Chelsea Women Bet Builder
With the group stage underway, there are many options for punters at our online sports betting site. A competitive fixture like this featuring two heavyweights presents the opportunity for a bet builder. Wagers containing multiple selections often lead to far greater returns than any outright prediction.
- Melchie Dumornay to score: Dumornay scored twice against Servette and should have opportunities to add to her Champions League tally against Chelsea.
- Lyon over 1.5 goals: Lyon’s attacking quality and home advantage should help them score at least twice against Chelsea after putting eight past Servette.
- Lauren James 1+ Shot on Target: James is one of Chelsea’s biggest attacking threats and has had five shots on target in her previous two games.
OL Lyonnes Women vs Chelsea Head-to-Head and Key Stats
Looking back at the last meeting between Chelsea and Lyon, the 2023 Women’s Champions League quarter-final produced one of the most dramatic ties in recent years. Chelsea won the first leg 1-0 in Lyon before the return fixture at Stamford Bridge went to extra time. Vanessa Gilles equalised for Lyon in normal time before Sara Däbritz put the French side ahead, 2-0 up and level on aggregate.
However, deep into stoppage time during extra time, Lauren James won a controversial penalty after a VAR review, with Maren Mjelde calmly converting to send the tie to a shootout. Chelsea ultimately held their nerve, winning the shootout 4-3 after Ann-Katrin Berger saved Lindsey Horan’s decisive penalty. The result sent Chelsea into the semi-finals and ended Lyon’s defence of the Women’s Champions League title.
Lyon head into this game in excellent form, with their attack firing on all cylinders. They have won all four of their matches this season, scoring 30 goals and conceding just three. Their recent run includes an 8-0 Champions League victory over Servette, an 8-1 win against Le Havre and a 7-1 victory over Paris FC.
The 8-0 win over Servette was particularly impressive, with Marie-Antoinette Katoto scoring a hat-trick and Melchie Dumornay adding two goals. Lyon were already six goals ahead inside an hour, showing just how much quality they have available. They will now look to carry that momentum into a much tougher test against Chelsea at home.
Chelsea have also made a strong start to the season, although their recent results have been slightly less emphatic than Lyon’s. They have won four of their last five games. Their only dropped points came in a 1-1 draw against Aston Villa.
Since then, Chelsea have beaten Manchester United 5-0, Birmingham City 2-0 and Austria Wien 1-0 in the Champions League. The victory over United showed their attacking threat, while the win against Austria Wien gave them a winning start to the league phase. Chelsea also progressed past Real Sociedad in Champions League qualifying, winning 5-2 on aggregate. Sonia Bompastor’s side will need to be at their best in Lyon.
