Holders Arsenal punish Lyon errors in first leg of UWCL semi-final

[p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/arsenal-8CKOoQdn/lyon-ro3DSjf2/?mid=SlIn2vYP"]The French league leaders went ahead in the 18th minute[/a] when [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/brand-jule/QFhjsh6o/"]Jule Brand[/a] scored with the visitors' only shot on target in the first half.[/p][p]But the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/arsenal/8CKOoQdn/"]Gunners[/a] were level shortly before the hour mark courtesy of an own goal from [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/engen-ingrid/GjSZHo3c/"]Ingrid Engen[/a] after goalkeeper [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/endler-claudia/MHv23hU4/"]Christiane Endler[/a] failed to gather the ball.[/p][p]And they took the lead when [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/smith-olivia/r3kWZ5mK/"]Olivia Smith[/a] took advantage of another mix-up at the back late in the game.[/p][p]The two sides met at the same stage of the competition last season, with Arsenal winning 5-3 on aggregate before going on to lift the trophy with victory against Barcelona in the final.[/p][embed guid="c5a547f6-3f99-4a14-b5c1-3f60f62489c6" url="https://x.com/ArsenalWFC/status/2048443235677208849" social-type="twitter" /][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/lyon/ro3DSjf2/"]Lyon[/a] drew first blood at the Emirates on Sunday when Brand surged forward and cut inside before beating Arsenal goalkeeper Daphne van Domselaar with a confident finish.[/b][/p][p]The home side thought they had been offered a way back into the game when they were awarded a penalty five minutes after the restart, but the decision was overturned after a VAR check.[/p][p][b]But Arsenal were level in the 58th minute when Mariona Caldentey's low free-kick somehow made its way into the net.[/b][/p][p]Lyon's Endler mishandled the ball, and the unfortunate Engen touched it into her own goal.[/p][p]Kadidiatou Diani rattled the crossbar as the French team threatened to re-take the lead, but it was Arsenal who scored again.[/p][p][b]Endler and Engen had a moment of miscommunication, and Smith showed perseverance to poke the ball home in the 83rd minute.[/b][/p][p]The second leg takes place in Lyon next weekend.[/p][image alt="Key match stats" id="445d9100-e626-443d-80c1-91468b665a50" credit-line="Flashscore" guid="9940e72e-4f26-4af7-94dc-fbcf8bb4acc9" original-width="1200" original-height="1200" /][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/soccer/europe/champions-league-women/"]Follow the UWCL semi-finals with Flashscore.[/a][/b][/p]