Alex Morgan scored twice last weekend to help Lyon to an 11th straight French domestic title. (photo courtesy Olympique Lyonnais)
Alex Morgan won her first piece of silverware since moving to France after helping Olympique Lyonnais overcome Soyaux 9-0 to confirm the UEFA Women’s Champions League holders as league champions. Morgan bagged a double in the rout of their mid-table opponents, as the French superpower secured their 11th league title in a row, with two league games remaining.
Kadeisha Buchanan played the second 45 minutes of the match, as she won her first major competition as a professional after leaving college.
Both players will have arguably their biggest test in domestic soccer in France when they face Ashley Lawrence’s PSG this Saturday at the Parc Olympique Lyonnais. PSG currently sit one point behind second placed Montpellier, and with just the two games remaining, are in danger of missing out on next season’s UEFA Women’s Champions League – unless of course they can beat Lyon in next month’s final in Cardiff.
Another player in danger of missing out on Champions League soccer next year is Bayern Munch’s Gina Lewandowski.
The American defender’s club currently sit in third place behind Wolfsburg, who need just a point to secure the Frauen Bundesliga, and a point behind second place Turbine Potsdam. Again, there are only two fixtures remaining in Germany.
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Bayern won 3-0 away at bottom side Borussia Mönchengladbach last time out, but with the season almost over, Bayern may have not only lost their league title, but European soccer too.
In England, Heather O’Reilly scored her first goal for Arsenal Ladies, from the penalty spot, and her side won 5-1 at bottom club Yeovil Town Ladies. O’Reilly started the game after coming off the bench three days earlier at home to Liverpool, and played an important role as her side earned a big away win.
Also winning away were Man City Women, who were pushed all the way by Reading Women, but eventually overturned a 2-1 deficit to win 3-2. Carli Lloyd played the full 90 minutes, but then missed the club’s 3-0 win in mid-week due to her commitments with FIFA in Bahrain. Lloyd will have the opportunity to recreate her memorable performance at the final of the London 2012 Olympics on Saturday, as she and her teammates face Birmingham City Ladies in the FA Cup Final at Wembley Stadium.
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Crystal Dunn and her Chelsea team did not play last week, as their fixture against the now folded Notts County Ladies, was obviously postponed.
After two years out with a serious knee injury, FC Rosengard welcomed back Erin McLeod between the pipes as she kept a clean sheet for her Swedish club at home to Gothenburg.
Wife Ella Masar McLeod also scored twice in the match to make it a good day for the Masar McLeods, but it wasn’t such a good day for Savannah Levin and Sarah Teegarden, who were in the Gothenburg side.
It wasn’t a great day for American pair Becky Edwards and goalkeeper Brett Maron of Kristianstad who suffered a late home loss to league leaders, Linkoping. Tove Almqvist scored in the 88th minute go give her side a 2-1 win to inflict Kristianstad’s third defeat in their four league games.
In Norway, U.S trio Michelle Betos, Elise Krieghoff and Stephanie Verdoia are still searching for their first win after a 2-2 draw with Trondheims, while there was better news for keeper Alyssa Giannetti, whose Arna Bjornar side won 2-1 at Roa.
But spare a thought for UC Santa Barbara graduate Savannah Francis, who was on the end of a 9-1 defeat with her club Grand Bodo by league leaders and champions Lillestrom.
