Sign up to the Independent's betting newsletter for the latest tips and offers Sign up to the Independent's betting newsletter
So-Yun Ji fired a fine free-kick home but Chelsea could not topple Lyon as a 1-1 draw proved enough for the reigning champions to reach their fourth-straight Women's Champions League final.
South Korea midfielder Ji whipped home a smart set-piece finish to hand Chelsea hope, in Sunday's semi-final second leg at AFC Wimbledon's Kingsmeadow.
But Lyon edged through 3-2 on aggregate, courtesy of Eugenie Le Sommer's well-worked finish laid on by inaugural women's Ballon d'Or winner Ada Hegerberg.
Emma Hayes' Chelsea side battled to the death against the much-vaunted Lyon outfit, who now face Barcelona in a bid for their fourth Champions League crown in succession.
Chelsea's defeat means they cannot qualify for next term's Champions League either as they were unable to force their way to a top-two finish in the Women's Super League.
French giants Lyon though power on, bidding to add yet another European title after claiming a 13th consecutive domestic league crown in midweek.
Lyon dominated from the start, boasting the sharper passing and more proficient play patterns.
Women's World Cup kits ranked and ratedShow all 46 1 /46Women's World Cup kits ranked and rated Women's World Cup kits ranked and rated Ranked and rated: Women's World Cup kits The kits for the 2019 World Cup have started to be released ... but which one is your favourite?
Nike
Women's World Cup kits ranked and rated France home They say: “A bespoke navy kit with rose gold logos.” Our verdict: C'est magnifique! As quintessentially French as coq au vin, berets and rioting.
Women's World Cup kits ranked and rated France away They say: “Predominantly white with an all-over graphic hexagon print.” Our verdict: Sublime.
Women's World Cup kits ranked and rated South Korea home They say: “A classic red design with dark blue shorts and red socks.” Our verdict: “Boring” /ˈbɔːrɪŋ/ adjective. Not interesting; tedious.
Women's World Cup kits ranked and rated South Korea away They say: “Predominantly white, with a bold blue and red graphic print subtly inspired by a tiger pattern and the Taegeuk symbol.” Our verdict: Better than the home effort, but loses points for being a rip-off of the men’s kit.
Women's World Cup kits ranked and rated Norway home They say: “A graphic gradient design that draws inspiration from classic Norwegian ski jumpers.” Our verdict: Gradients are like, so 2018.
Women's World Cup kits ranked and rated Norway away They say: “A jersey featuring patterns of differently sized blue and red hoops.” Our verdict: One word: Meh.
Women's World Cup kits ranked and rated Nigeria home They say: “An eclectic combination of bright green, white and black in an especially bold design.” Our verdict: Yes, it’s another World Cup 2018 rip-off. But who really cares when it remains the best football kit of all time?
Women's World Cup kits ranked and rated Nigeria away They say: “A clean design in dark green with subtle zigzag print.” Our verdict: As deathly dull as the home kit is bold and beautiful. Get in the bin.
Women's World Cup kits ranked and rated Germany home They say: “Draws inspiration from the iconic 1990s design.” Our verdict: YES. Takes the 2018 kit and adds a pop of patriotic colour – 1990 style.
Women's World Cup kits ranked and rated Germany away They say: “A wine red base with white logos.” Our verdict: What a shame it’s not green. Looks too much like an off the peg PE top for our refined tastes.
Women's World Cup kits ranked and rated China PR home They say: “Traditional red with volt accents.” Our verdict: The same dull template that approximately 5,698,427 other football teams are currently wearing.
Women's World Cup kits ranked and rated China PR away They say: “Inspired by the team’s Steel Roses nickname.” Our verdict: Now that’s more like it! Great colours and bonus points for the dragon motif.
Women's World Cup kits ranked and rated Spain home They say: “A Glitch interpretation of the classic 1994 strip.” Our verdict: An understated take on the far more bold 1994 kit. A winner.
Women's World Cup kits ranked and rated South Africa home They say: “Yellow with powerful green graphic print.” Our verdict: Same as the men’s kit: gold, garish and grim.
Women's World Cup kits ranked and rated South Africa away They say: “Green with unique all-over print.” Our verdict: You can’t say it’s not eye-catching. A lot going on – but we like it.
Women's World Cup kits ranked and rated Australia home They say: “Combines different shades of yellow, white and green in a brush stroke design.” Our verdict: All hail the best kit at the 2019 World Cup. Fun, funky and as 1990s as an episode of Kenan & Kel.
Women's World Cup kits ranked and rated Australia away They say: “Dark green with lime green and yellow accents.” Our verdict: Clearly Nike had a job lot of those Nigerian away shirts knocking around their warehouse.
Women's World Cup kits ranked and rated Italy home They say: “Based on Puma's new evoKNIT template.” Our verdict: If this shirt was an ice cream flavour, it would be vanilla.
Women's World Cup kits ranked and rated Italy away They say: “A classic white strip.” Our verdict: If this shirt was an ice cream flavour, it would be vanilla with a side helping of vanilla.
Women's World Cup kits ranked and rated Brazil home They say: “A diverse and bespoke kit design.” Our verdict: Nothing much to see here, next.
Women's World Cup kits ranked and rated Brazil away They say: “Blue with yellow and a bespoke star print.” Our verdict: Brazil’s blue away kit is just about impossible to mess up. This just about gets the job done.
Women's World Cup kits ranked and rated Jamaica home They say: “Vibrant yellow with striking black, green and yellow application.” Our verdict: The Brazil kit – but budget!
Women's World Cup kits ranked and rated Jamaica away They say: “Black with a graphic that pays homage to the vivid culture of Jamaica.” Our verdict: It shouldn’t work – but it really does. Brilliantly bonkers.
Women's World Cup kits ranked and rated England home They say: “Clean look with red cuffs and back panel.” Our verdict: The nicest England kit in years. See – they don’t have to be deathly boring!
Women's World Cup kits ranked and rated England away They say: “Dark red with rose pattern.” Our verdict: Ooo. A beautifully deep red and rose all-over pattern that screams class. Expect to see it on runways all over the capital come London Fashion Week in September.
Women's World Cup kits ranked and rated Scotland home They say: “Simplistic design in traditional colours.” Our verdict: Very nice. Good of Adidas to go to all that effort considering it will only be worn for three matches.
Women's World Cup kits ranked and rated Scotland away They say: “Pink with black applications.” Our verdict: The pink Manchester United away kit is indisputably the strip of the season (don’t @ us), so great to see the colour returning here.
Women's World Cup kits ranked and rated Argentina home They say: “Two sky blue stripes with unique brush stroke effect.” Our verdict: A modern take on one of the most classic kits in world football.
Women's World Cup kits ranked and rated Argentina away They say: “A modern interpretation of the iconic 1993 design.” Our verdict: Another 2018 rip-off. But, in fairness, it’s a beauty.
Women's World Cup kits ranked and rated Japan home and away They say: Bespoke kits to be released very soon.
Getty Images
Women's World Cup kits ranked and rated Cameroon home and away They say: Nothing much. Cameroon are yet to sign a kit deal for the tournament.
Women's World Cup kits ranked and rated Canada home They say: “Predominantly red with white swoosh.” Our verdict: Red.
Women's World Cup kits ranked and rated Canada away They say: “White with black logos and red numbers.” Our verdict: White.
Women's World Cup kits ranked and rated New Zealand home They say: “White with black trim and fern.” Our verdict: What’s another word for white?
AFP/Getty Images
Women's World Cup kits ranked and rated New Zealand away They say: “A reversion of the colour scheme in black with white detailing.” Our verdict: Much better. Bonus points for the ferns on the sleeves.
Getty Images
Women's World Cup kits ranked and rated Netherlands home They say: “Predominantly orange featuring 'Orange Quartz' Swooshes.” Our verdict: We’re big fans of the swooshes.
Women's World Cup kits ranked and rated Netherlands away They say: “Bright turquoise with gradient graphic print.” Our verdict: Looks too much like a big packet of toothpaste.
Getty Images
Women's World Cup kits ranked and rated United States home They say: “White with bold red and blue cuffs.” Our verdict: It’s a shame the reigning champs don’t have something slightly jazzier – although the stars on the shorts are a lovely touch.
Women's World Cup kits ranked and rated United States away They say: “Speed red with bright blue brandings.” Our verdict: Edgy af.
Women's World Cup kits ranked and rated Thailand home They say: “A Warrix design: blue with thin zigzag stripes on the sleeves.” Our verdict: Gold accents on kits ALWAYS look good.
Getty Images
Women's World Cup kits ranked and rated Thailand away They say: “Crimson red with black collar detailing.” Our verdict: Exactly the same as the home kit, but in a different colour! We see you, Warrix.
Getty Images
Women's World Cup kits ranked and rated Chile home They say: A clean design with zigzag knit pattern on the sleeves.” Our verdict: Great colours, boring design.
Getty Images
Women's World Cup kits ranked and rated Chile away They say: “A bold graphic print that combines tapered red and blue stripes.” Our verdict: Ooosh. Like watching the United States play, but with a migraine.
Getty Images
Women's World Cup kits ranked and rated Sweden home They say: “Featuring a pattern of horizontal lines that creates an optical effect.” Our verdict: I asked our resident Swedish sports journalist, Lawrence Ostlere, for a one word review of this kit. His verdict? “Quite cool.” That’s two words, but oh well.
Women's World Cup kits ranked and rated Sweden away They say: “Blue with yellow detailing.” Our verdict: “Yup, fine.”
Getty Images
So when Hegerberg fed Le Sommer for her fellow forward to drill home, there were precious few surprised observers in New Malden.
Hegerberg's neat turn merited the acclaim of an assist, but Chelsea goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger will have been frustrated to see the ball creep under her body after a slight deflection off Maren Mjelde.
Chelsea had spoken about hounding Lyon off their stride but needed the jolt of slipping behind to remember that pre-match mission.
Erin Cuthbert won a free-kick on the edge of Lyon's area, and that allowed Chelsea to strike from their sole genuine raid of the first half.
Ji whipped the free-kick into the net with zero fuss, to drag Chelsea back into the tie.
Ramona Bachmann and Lyon goalkeeper Sarah Bouhaddi were both booked for tussling over retrieving the ball from the net.
Ji So-yun bends a free-kick home (Getty) Hegerberg turned a cross the wrong side of the post as Lyon pressed again, but the teams turned around locked at 1-1.
Chelsea forced their way onto the front foot after the break, Bachmann seeing a low effort blocked by Amel Majri.
Captain Karen Carney curled a rasping effort against the post, before Millie Bright forced a point-blank save from Bouhaddi.
Hegerberg drew a full-stretch save from Berger, headed wide and then blasted past the near post as Lyon pressed again.
But Chelsea replacement Drew Spence blew the best chance of the half, side-footing wide at the far post after a free-kick.
PA
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies