November 23 – The longest unbeaten run in any of Europe’s top leagues was broken at the weekend when Olympique Lyon women suffered their first league loss in four years. Paris Saint-Germain inflicted a 1-0 defeat on the serial French champions.
Lyon’s primacy in the women’s game can hardly be overstated, having both dominated the French league and the Champions League, but this weekend that dominance was given a dent by the rivals from the capital when Marie-Antoinette Katoto scored in the first half to hand Lyon a rare defeat.
It marked Lyon’s first defeat in the league since December 2016. The match at the Parc des Princes was broadcast on Canal+ and the hosts were the most aggressive team from the onset. In the 10th minute, Kadidiatou Diani teed up Katoto to score the only goal of the game. Katoto was injured later on, but with the three points PSG moved top of the table on 26 points, one ahead of Lyon.
“We did nothing. PSG deserved the victory,” said Lyon captain Wendie Renard.
It was PSG’s first win over Lyon since the 2018 French Cup and Lyon’s first league defeat since 2016.
Coached by Jean-Luc Vasseur, Lyon have won the French crown a record 14 times in a row. Their dominance in Europe is no less impressive, having won the last five editions of the Champions League. This summer, they defeated VFL Wolfsburg 3-1 in the European Cup final.
Contact the writer of this story, Samindra Kunti, at moc.l1732415734labto1732415734ofdlr1732415734owedi1732415734sni@o1732415734fni1732415734