English clubs stutter as Barcelona, Lyon dominate Women's Champions — SkimNews
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- Manchester City recovered from 2-0 down to draw 2-2 at Bayern Munich, with summer signings Beth Mead and Carlotta Wamser scoring their first goals for the club, though Khadija Shaw missed a penalty.
- Arsenal scraped a narrow home win over Danish minnows HB Koge via a 95th-minute penalty, managing only two shots on target despite an expected goals tally of 1.93 and fielding eight forwards.
- Chelsea edged Austria Vienna 1-0 on a Wieke Kaptein goal, but the Champions League debutants hit the post and registered more shots; injuries to Erin Cuthbert and an early Keira Walsh substitution ceded midfield control to the visitors.
- Lyon demolished Servette 8-0 in Switzerland, with Marie-Antoinette Katoto scoring a hat-trick as they racked up 31 shots and hit the woodwork; they host Chelsea next week.
- Barcelona, the defending champions, fell behind at home to Paris FC before scoring four goals before half-time in a 5-2 win that reinforced their favorite status.
- Arsenal's broader form has been sluggish with just two goals and five points from three WSL matches this season, fueling questions about whether Renee Slegers' side can challenge for silverware.
Why it matters: Three of England's most ambitious clubs entered the Women's Champions League with designs on the trophy but all three produced unconvincing openers, while last season's finalists Barcelona and Lyon posted combined 13-goal victories. The article frames this gap as a warning sign for English clubs, with Lyon's trip to Chelsea next week offering the first real test of whether the English sides can match the continental benchmark.
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