The first leg of the championship of France ended tonight with the summit meeting between Olympique Lyonnais and Paris Saint-Germain. A balanced match where the Lyonnaises have found the way to the nets thanks to their striker Ada Hegerberg. Eleven wins in eleven games for OL, which is awarded the title of champion of the fall and takes five lengths of advances on the PSG.


For this shock of the D1, Reynald Pedros line a 4-3-3 usual, where the only small surprise is the tenure of Kheira Hamraoui, preferred to Camille Abily. Parisian side, however, Patrice Lair innovates with a 5-3-2 where the two lateral Ashley Lawrence on the left and Eve Perisset on the right have vocation to be carried forward thus leaving room for a defense to three on the offensive phase, with the central triplet of the evening: Emma Berglund, Erika and Irene Paredes.

This new tactical organization, with an attack composed of Marie-Antoinette Katoto and Kadidiatou Diani, lines Marie-Laure Delie off the map. The Paris striker was not even on the scoresheet. Another surprise, the tenure in the cages of Christiane Endler. The reason for choosing is explained in advance by Patrice Lair: Katarzyna Kiedrzynek touched foot is not 100%.


Ada Hegerberg, unstoppable!


The game begins at a steady pace, with two situations for the Lyonnaises and one for the Parisienne in the first two minutes. If Shanice Van of Sanden and Marie Katoto, in the surface, could not trigger a strike, Ada Hergerberg was not asked. But, the Norwegian, perfectly found between the lines by Eugénie Le Sommer, will stumble on Christiane Endler. A first valuable intervention of the Chilean goalkeeper who will allow to put in confidence, she who is only playing his second match under the colors of Paris (the first was against Albi).

Subsequently, the PSG will concede many corners, causing at the same time dangerous situations. But the players of Patrice Lair remain vigilant, like Kadidiatou Diani who deviates tiptoe a shot at the surface entrance of Dzsenifer Marozsan (8th).

The opening score comes shortly after, on a magnificent head of the top scorer of the championship (12th). At the start of the action, a center left side of Amel Majri where everyone passes through, Kheira Hamraoui is the first to get the ball right side and back for Lucy Bronze. The English defender center in first intention and Ada Hegerberg takes over Paredes to send the ball to the bottom of the nets of Endler, helpless on this action. Sixteenth goal of the season for the Lyon striker and her ninth in all competitions against Paris Saint-Germain.


Katoto and Diani, on the verge of equalizing


Led, the PSG will not demobilize so far, for proof less than a minute after this opener, Ashley Lawrence will perform a beautiful overflow left side and his dangerous center towards the goal forces Sarah Bouhaddi to slam the ball. Percussion left side of Lawrence will put a second time in difficulty the Lyonnaises. This time, the Canadian center low, it passes between the legs of Wendie Renard and Marie Katoto is at the reception. Unfortunately, the striker's shot was diverted by Sarah Bouhaddi, who had followed well (30th). Katoto had the best opportunity here to equalize.

The Parisian lightning come clearly from the sides with the climbs of the lateral ones. Paris is struggling on the second ball, especially in the midfield and Patrice Lair will therefore make a double change after the break: Shirley Cruz and Jennifer Hermoso give way to Aminata Diallo and Grace Geyoro. If the Spanish player had no real opportunity to speak his paw on the set pieces, his performance in the game was below the expected level in such a match.


In the second half, the technical errors on both sides will be more present and opportunities will be more rare. Paris will still miss a great opportunity to equalize. Diani recovers the ball against Majri and leaves on the right side. She makes several calls to look at her teammate, but Katoto is hidden by the defender Lyonnaise marking. Diani tries to hit but misses the frame. For the last quarter of an hour, Patrice Lair tries everything for the whole against this well-established Rhone team, going back to a defense to four and bringing in Vero Boquete. PSG will offer one last opportunity, a Perisset center right side at the back post for Diallo, but Bronze came back just in time to extend a corner (80th).

Despite the defeat, Paris does not have to blush his evening performance, as his guardian, Endler, decisive on several occasions. In the parade on a knee recovery at point-blank Bronze (26th) or closing perfectly the angle on the shot by Delphine Cascarino late in the game (88th), the Chilean maintained the hopes of Paris. Once again he did not miss much PSG against the best team in Europe. If the championship is not yet folded, five points behind Lyon the task is seriously complicated for Paris. Especially since with only one point ahead of Montpellier, the club of the capital will have to consolidate its second place, while hoping for a miss Lyonnaises, to play the title in Paris during the return match, the May 19th.


The post-match reactions:

Reynald Pedros (OL): "I'm not sure I had complete control of the match."

Patrice Lair (PSG): "Of course we missed something."

Wendie Renard (OL): "That's what makes you win titles every time."

Ada Hegerberg (OL): "When the ball is well placed, he returns."


Match sheet


Monday 11th of December 2017, 21h - Lyon (Groupama Stadium) - D1 - 11th day.
Olympique Lyonnais - Paris Saint-Germain: 1-0 (1-0)


Referee: Florence Guillemin

Goal: Ada Hergerberg (12th)

Warnings: Kheira Hamraoui (16th), Dzsenifer Marozsan (37th) for OL; Ashley Lawrence (44th) for PSG.


The teams :


Olympique Lyonnais: 16-S. Bouhaddi, 22-L. Bronze, 21-K. Buchanan, 3-W. Fox (cap.), 7-A. Majri, 5-S. Kumagai, 11-K. Hamraoui (23-C. Abily 67e), 10-D. Marozsan, 19-S. Van de Sanden (20-D Cascarino 82nd), 9-E. The Sommer, 14-A. Hegerberg.

Coach: Reynald Pedros.


Paris Saint-Germain: 16-C. Endler, 17-E. Perisset, 14-I. Paredes, 15-E. Berglund, 12-A. Lawrence, 8-Erika (21-Boquete 75th), 24-Formiga (cap.), 28-S. Cruz (7-A, Diallo 46e), 10-J. Hermoso (26-G, Geyoro 46e), 11-K. Diani, 9-M-A. Katoto

Coach: Patrice Lair.