UEFA Women’s Champions League: Arsenal beat Real Madrid; Man U lose; Lyon draw

LONDON: Defending champion Arsenal made a comeback, beating Real Madrid 2-1 at home with striker Alessia Russo scoring twice in the UEFA Women’s Champions League on Wednesday.

Madrid’s Caroline Weir volleyed into the bottom corner in the 43rd after Arsenal’s defence failed to clear a free kick from the right.

Russo’s looping header from a right-wing cross early into the second half drew Arsenal level at Meadow Park, and she scored with another header, this time from Beth Mead’s left-wing corner, in the 67th.

Elsewhere, Dutch duo Ella Peddemors and Lineth Beerensteyn scored two each as two-time champion Wolfsburg beat Manchester United 5-2 at home.

Sweden winger Fridolina Rolfo put United ahead in the 14th minute against her former team, but Wolfsburg equalised three minutes later through Peddemors.

Peddemors scored again in the 37th, and Beerensteyn’s fine shot into the top corner made it 3-1 in the 45th, only for French forward Melvine Malard to net in first-half stoppage time.

Beerensteyn pounced again midway through the second half, and Vivien Endemann added the fifth deep into stoppage time.

Record eight-time champion OL Lyonnes rallied from three goals down at half-time to salvage a 3-3 draw at Juventus.

Veteran Lyon defender Wendie Renard, who has scored more than 150 goals for Lyon, equalised with a well-taken penalty in the 90th minute following a handball by Juventus captain Cecilia Salvai.

Lyon found itself 0-3 down at half-time as forward Chiara Beccari tormented the defence. After scoring in the 12th minute with a lob from the right, Beccari was involved in goals for striker Michela Cambiaghi and midfielder Tatiana Pinto.

Lyon replied through Tabitha Chawinga in the 60th and substituted Marie-Antoinette Katoto in the 79th.

Unbeaten Lyon leads with 10 points from four games in the 18-team standings, while Wolfsburg and United have nine points along with Barcelona.

Sixth-place Real Madrid has seven points — one more than Arsenal, which is eighth after a second win in four games.

The top four enter the quarterfinals, and teams placed fifth to 12th join the knockout playoffs, while the bottom six are eliminated.

Paris FC beat Benfica 2-0 with goals from 18-year-old Maeline Mendy and Maelle Garbino, either side of halftime. The visiting side had Danish midfielder Caroline Møller sent off in the 30th minute at Stade Jean Bouin.

Vålerenga went 2-0 up inside 20 minutes against St. Pölten of Austria, but the visiting side hit back to draw 2-2 in Oslo. Agencies

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