Arsenal 0-1 Lyon: Vivianne Miedema suffers serious injury concern in Women’s Champions League defeat

Arsenal v Olympique Lyonnais: Group C - UEFA Women's Champions League
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Marc Mayo15 December 2022

Arsenal striker Vivianne Miedema was taken off on a stretcher with a serious injury concern during her side’s 1-0 defeat at home to Lyon.

The French team left Emirates Stadium with all three points in their Women’s Champions League group stage match.

Now qualified for the quarter-finals thanks to a better head-to-head record against Lyon, Arsenal can top Group C with a win against point-less Zurich next Wednesday. But their short-term focus will be on a potentially serious injury for star striker Miedema.

In first-half stoppage time, the Dutch player, 26, stretched for the ball and landed awkwardly on her knee with no opposition players in immediate proximity.

In visible pain, she departed the game in tears and was followed down the tunnel by Beth Mead, the injured Arsenal winger who is currently walking on crutches after rupturing her anterior cruciate ligament last month.

Arsenal boss Jonas Eidevall told reporters: “I don’t know, I haven’t spoken to Viv or the doctor. But right now that takes a lot of my thoughts, I’m very concerned. I’m sorry I don’t have any update at all on that situation.”

Lyon had started brightly, with Delphine Cascarino looking to stretch the home backline. Arsenal went close from a corner in the 24th minute when Lotte Wubben-Moy headed over.

Lyon took the lead in first-half stoppage time when a deep free-kick into the Arsenal penalty area was nodded across the six-yard box by Cascarino and Frida Maanum diverted the ball into the net for an own goal.

Brazilian defender Rafaelle Souza came on to replace Miedema for the second half, with England captain Leah Williamson pushing up into a midfield role. Arsenal made a positive start as McCabe got into the right side of the penalty area and fired in a low, angled drive which Lyon goalkeeper Christiane Endler held at her near post.

At the other end, Lyon substitute Eugenie Le Sommer fired a cutback from Cascarino straight at Arsenal goalkeeper Manuela Zinsberger.

The Gunners continued to press for an equaliser but were unable to open up a determined Lyon defensive line. In the final minute, Lina Hurtig saw her shot cleared off the line following a corner, with Lyon keeper Endler then making an important save down at her near post from Stina Blackstenius' follow-up effort.

Additional reporting by PA.

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