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Lyon flogs Barcelona to win Women’s Champions League
Lyon flog Barcelona to win Women’s Champions League
….Oshoala goal not enough to stage a comeback fight.
People will bemoan the gulf in class. This was supposed to be competitive football at the top level. But Lyon’s one-sided mauling of Barcelona is not something to be criticised, but should instead be celebrated as a testament to investment, to equality. Club president Jean-Michel Aulas’s long-term project is paying dividends and then some.
An emotional early opener from the Budapest-born Dzsenifer Marozsán, who was warmly cheers by the crowd on announcement in the starting XI, followed by a stunning 17-minute hat-trick from Ada Hegerberg put the French champions in the driving seat by the half-hour mark.
Asisat Oshoala’s late strike was not enough to launch a comeback of the scale we have become accustomed to in recent weeks.
Lyon looked every bit worthy of their fourth consecutive Champions League title from the off. Tall, strong and athletic with Barcelona looking decidedly lightweight in comparison. Their project well and truly confirmed to be still very much in its infancy by a ruthless Lyon.
It took five minutes for Lyon to take the lead. Shanice van de Sanden, who provided three assists off the bench in extra time last year, used her electric pace to race clear of Leila Ouahabi and whipped a cross towards an incoming Marozsán who powered home in front of her home crowd, punching her chest at the emotion of it all.
Barcelona were lucky not to be two down in two minutes, Hegerberg playing a one-two with Majri whose shot was kept out by Sandra Paños. Van de Sanden powered a header goalward on the rebound but Ouahabi headed it off the line and away.
On 14 minutes, Van de Sanden, fed by the England right-back Lucy Bronze, again left Ouahabi trailing and played an almost identical pass from the right, but this time it was Hegerberg’s turn, coolly slotting under Paños.
Five minutes later and it was three. Amel Majri skipping into the box from the left and slipping the ball to Hegerberg who hooked in with her left foot.
A very rare Barça break saw Mariona beat Majri to swing a cross into the box but it was just behind Toni Duggan, then Lieke Martens.
If this was Martens’s audition to entice an approach from her opponents as the buildup had suggested, it was hard to see why they would bother.
On the half-hour mark, Hegerberg notched her hat-trick and confirmed she would finished the competition’s top scorer for the second consecutive season.
Bronze this time was the provider, sending a pinpoint cross in for the Norwegian to turn home.
Barcelona had not conceded in the competition since September. On the rare occasions they found themselves in the opposition third they were hesitant, dazed and unsure in the pass. A team known for dominating possession looked utterly lost with it.
When the two sides met in last season’s quarter final it was much tighter. A 2-1 home with for Lyon was followed by a 1-0 win at the Miniestadi.
But now Barcelona’s easier route to the final – Cypriot side Barcelona FA, Glasgow City, LSK Kvinner, Bayern Munich – was exposed. This match left Lyon’s quarter-final against last years runners-up Wolfsburg and a tough physical match-up with Chelsea in their semi-final looking like a closer test.
After 68 minutes, and urged on by a sympathetic crowd, Barça had their best chance of the game. Aitana Bonmatí squared to Vicky Losada whose cross was flicked on my Alexia Putellas. The ball landed cleanly at the feet of Martens but she slipped her half-volley painfully wide of the near post from six yards.
With Lyon more settled, perhaps feeling safe with their four-goal cushion, Barcelona pushed for something, anything. With 15 minutes left Losada caught out the usually immaculately disciplined Lyon backline but her lofted ball over Sarah Bouhaddi looped on to the roof of the net.
Lyon, though casual in their pressure now, still threatened. The French striker Eugénie Le Sommer curled a shot into Paños’s arms and then forced her to palm another effort away within the space of two minutes before being pulled off for left-back Selma Bacha to enter the fray.
As the clock ticked down, Barcelona got their consolation and restored a fraction of pride. Played through the middle by Martens, Oshoala took one touch to take the ball round Bouhaddi before sliding home.
Featured
Daughters of Dr. Charles Ononiwu, Chiamanda and Chiamaka, Launch Debut Books to Uplift Hearts Facing Life’s Struggles
Joel Ajayi
At just 18 and 20 years old, Chiamanda and Chiamaka Ononiwu — daughters of renowned Nigerian surgeon Dr. Charles Ononiwu — have achieved a remarkable milestone with the release of their debut inspirational books, Do Not Be Afraid and Waterfalls.
Their literary journey began six years ago, during the height of the global COVID-19 pandemic. While the world was engulfed in fear and uncertainty, the then 13- and 15-year-old sisters turned inward, using writing as an outlet to process their emotions, express their faith, and reach out to others with messages of hope and resilience.
What began as a quiet act of creativity blossomed into two powerful books that now serve as beacons of light for readers navigating life’s storms.
Eighteen-year-old Chiamanda Ononiwu is the author of Do Not Be Afraid. A passionate Electrical Engineering student , she is also a proud alumna of Intellichild TLC and Valedictorian of Great Blessings School, Class of 2022.
In her book, she addresses the emotional challenges many young people face and draws from her personal faith to offer guidance and encouragement.
Her elder sister, Chiamaka Ononiwu, 20, is a final-year medical student at Babcock University in Nigeria. She penned Waterfalls, a heartfelt and deeply spiritual work she describes as divinely inspired. Chiamaka views her writing as a calling — a mission to uplift souls and bring hope to those struggling with life’s challenges.
“Personally, I would say it all started with the idea of inclusion, inspired by real human experiences,” Chiamaka shared. “We’ve had conversations with people who’ve gone through difficult situations — including issues and those stories helped shape what I write today.”
She added, “It’s all about encouraging people to face life with faith. We began this journey during a dark time in the world, and I felt called to create something that could offer comfort and hope — not just locally, but globally.”
The official book launch and signing ceremony took place on Wednesday in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital, and was attended by family, friends, colleagues, and well-wishers. It was a celebration of creativity, faith, and youthful brilliance, as the sisters presented their work to an inspired audience.
Speaking at the event, Chiamaka emphasized the core message of her book: “Waterfalls reminds readers that God is always watching over His people. He doesn’t bring fear — He brings peace, hope, and love. I want readers to find comfort and assurance in that truth.”
For Chiamanda, her book is a message to young people who may feel overwhelmed by life’s pressures: “Do Not Be Afraid is especially for youth navigating difficult times. No matter how hard life gets, you can always find strength and direction in God’s word.”
Writing came naturally to both sisters. Chiamaka recalled, “Even as a child, I loved writing short stories for my siblings. When the opportunity came to publish, I knew it was time to share my message with a wider audience.”
Despite their demanding academic paths, both young women balanced their studies with writing through perseverance and faith.
Chiamanda and Chiamaka are united by a shared dream — to inspire people across the world with their writing.
Chiamaka expressed Further; “Our biggest hope is that these books will reach people who need to know that God is real, that He’s always with them, and that through Him, anything is possible,” Chiamaka said.
With Do Not Be Afraid and Waterfalls, the Ononiwu sisters have not only created literary works — they’ve created lifelines. Their voices, grounded in faith and driven by purpose, remind readers everywhere that even in the darkest moments, God’s light never fades.
Their father, Dr. Charles Ononiwu — a distinguished surgeon and deeply devoted parent — also spoke at the event, sharing the journey from his perspective.
“For me, my number one priority has always been to care for children — not just medically, but also by encouraging them academically and in the basics of life,” he said.
He recounted a moving moment with Chiamanda, who approached him with the idea of sharing her story publicly to inspire others.
“She came to me and said she wanted to talk to her peers, to share how she had been comforted, and to help them see that everything would be okay,” he recalled. “As a father, my role was to guide her. I support both of them, help activate their strengths, and provide direction.”
Dr. Ononiwu made the decision to fund the publication of their books himself, believing in the power of their message.
“I told them, ‘You have something the world needs. You can make an impact in the lives of others,’” he said. “I believe every child has a gift. It is our responsibility as parents not to dismiss them, but to help them discover and nurture their talents.”
He encouraged all parents to support their children’s creative pursuits, noting, “Every person has something special inside them — no one is without talent. It’s just a matter of looking inward, discovering that gift, and sharing it with the world.”
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