Catarina Macario scored twice in
the 4-3 aggregate victory against fast-
improvingJuventus in the quarters, and
the American international struck twice
in the semi-final first leg too, as Lyon
edged a five-goal thriller in front of
22,774. That attendance was almost
doubled in Paris as a French club record
43,255 saw Wendie Renard score a
late trademark header and kill off
home hopes in a 2-1 Lyon win. The
fact that Lyon’s Chilean goalkeeper
Christiane Endler was player of the
match underlined PSG’s threat.
So to Turin, and an intriguing clash of
styles. Lyon, with Hegerberg as the focal
point, are the more direct of the two.
Barca, like their men’s teams, prefer to
play a possession game that relies on
passing geometry to draw defenders
out of position and release the likes
of Graham Hansen behind defences.
With an average 66.3 per cent
possession and 88.7 per cent passing
accuracy they are well ahead of Lyon
in that aspect (53.9 per cent and 79.6
per cent respectively), and have also
scored 37 goals to Lyon’s 28.
But Lyon have experience, squad
depth, an excellent goalkeeper, a quick,
powerful defence and are dangerous
in the air. Left-back Selma Bacha, who
takes most corners and free-kicks, has
eight assists, twice as many as anyone
in the competition except Barca’s
Fridolina Rolfo (six).
Barcelona, given their imperious
form over the last two years, will start
as favourites, but it would be very rash
to write off Lyon.DASH SUSPEND CLARKSON
James Clarkson, the head coach
and general manager of Houston
Dash, has been suspended following
a recommendation made by the
joint investigation into “current and
historic complaints of discrimination,
harassment and abuse” by the NWSL
and its players association.
Clarkson said: “As a coach I love the
team and have always respected my
players and staff. Any such allegations
are absolutely not true.”CHINCHILLA IS SCOTS’
FIRST AWARD WINNER
Costa Rica’s Priscila Chinchilla was
named the first Scottish players’ union
Women’s Footballer of the Year. The
Glasgow City forward arrived in Scotland
aged18 in December 2020 with no
English and no football due to the
pandemic, but survived and thrived.ITALY GO PRO
Italy’s Serie A has confirmed it will
turn professional from next season.
Although there was a degree of
semi-professionalism in the1970s
and ’80s, attracting many overseas
players, the league was until recently
under the aegis of the National
Amateur League (LND), whichSuspended...Houston Dash
head coachJames ClarksonPlayer of the
Year...Priscila
Chinchillain theory limited most payments to
expenses.
That arrangement was doomed
after the LND chief allegedly derided
players as “a bunch of lesbians” at a
2015 meeting to develop the sport.
The Italian football federation (FIGC),
which runs the top three men’s tiers,
subsequently took over and began
the push to professionalism.CONCACAF LAUNCH
CHAMPIONSHIP
The inaugural 2022 CONCACAF
W Championship launches inJuly
with Mexico staging an eight-team
tournament. World Cup holders United
States meet Haiti in the opening game
in Monterrey. The hosts andJamaica
make up Group A. Olympic champions
Canada are joined in Group B by Costa
Rica, Panama and Trinidad & Tobago.
The event doubles up as the regional
qualifying competition for the 2023
World Cup.HEATH SPELL ENDS WITH INJURY
Two-time World Cup winner Tobin
Heath left Arsenal after sustaining
a hamstring injury that ruled her out
of action until the end of the season.
The United States forward scored three
goals in18 appearances after arriving
on a one-year deal last autumn.
Elsewhere, Canadian forwardJanine
Beckie left Manchester City to join
Portland Thorns in the NWSL, while
former England internationals Karen
Bardsley and Anita Asante announced
their retirements.Talismanic...Lyon’s
Ada Hegerberg
celebrates scoring
in the semi-final
Heading home...
Tobin Heath