For the first time in almost four years, Lyon has tasted defeat in the French women’s first division, ending an 80-game unbeaten run.
Key points:
- Matildas star Ellie Carpenter joined Lyon midway through last season
- Lyon has not lost in the French domestic league since December 12, 2016
- Lyon has won the French first division every year over the past 14 seasons
Marie-Antoinette Katoto’s strike in the 11th minute earned Paris Saint-Germain a 1-0 home win over the reigning champions on Friday (local time) in Paris.
Matildas star Ellie Carpenter, who signed for the team earlier this year, started the game at right back for Lyon, but could not get back in time to stop Katoto’s strike from trickling in across the face of goal.
It was the reigning European champions first loss in the French first division since December 12, 2016 and just its third in the past 10 years.
The result put PSG on top of the standings with 25 points from nine games, one point ahead of Lyon.
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Lyon had not been beaten in any competitive match since the French Cup final in May 2018, when PSG were also the opponents.
Over the past few years, Lyon has developed a reputation as the strongest women’s team in the world.
The women’s team is treated on a par with the men’s team, sharing a training ground and other facilities — a rarity in the women’s game.
Lyon has won the past 14 Division 1 Féminine titles in a row and the past five women’s Champions League titles in a stunning era of success.
However, that is not the longest run of consecutive titles in the women’s game in Europe.
SFK 2000 Sarajevo holds the current record and is currently on an 18-year run of consecutive Bosnia and Herzegovina championships.
The longest unbeaten run of matches in women’s football is 101 games, by US college team North Carolina between 1990 and 1994.
Reuters/ABC
