Lyon wins French title ahead of Women’s Champions League final

Lyon is the record eight-time European champions and has won the Champions League six times in the last eight campaigns.

Olympique Lyonnais players celebrate after being crowned French Women’s D1 Champions. | Photo Credit: AFP

Lyon warmed up for the upcoming UEFA Women’s Champions League final by winning its 17th French title on Friday thanks to a 2-1 win over Paris Saint-Germain in the deciding game of the season.

Delphine Cascarino put Lyon ahead at a sparsely-populated Groupama Stadium in the championship final, and Kadidiatou Diani doubled its lead by the midway point in the first half.

Diani netted against her old club following a disastrous mistake by PSG goalkeeper Katarzyna Kiedrzynek.

Malawi forward Tabitha Chawinga, who has had an outstanding season, pulled a goal back for PSG in the second half but Lyon held on.

Its 17 domestic titles have all come in the last 18 seasons -- PSG has denied them once in that time, in 2021.

Sonia Bompastor’s Lyon, for whom former Ballon d’Or winner Ada Hegerberg was an unused substitute, can now look forward to next Saturday’s Champions League final against Barcelona in Bilbao.

Lyon is the record eight-time European champions and has won the Champions League six times in the last eight campaigns.

However, Barcelona has won two of the last three and are the reigning champions.

Lyon finished well clear of PSG at the top of the 12-team French league at the end of the regular season.

However, this season saw the title decided by play-offs between the top four in the division, with Lyon hammering fourth-placed Reims 6-0 in the semifinals last weekend.

PSG, meanwhile, had needed penalties to see off city rivals Paris FC, and overcoming the favourites proved a step too far for the side who did recently win the French Cup.

Lyon also beat PSG in the semifinals of this season’s Champions League.