Lyon win cup on Bompastor swansong

UEFA Women’s Champions League runners-up Olympique Lyonnais completed a perfect domestic season with a 3-1 French Cup final win against AS Saint-Étienne in Sonia Bompastor's last match before retirement

Having won all 22 league games and five cup fixtures on their way to Clermont-Ferrand, Lyon took 43 minutes to break the deadlock through Lotta Schelin. Wendie Renard headed a second and although Audrey Chaumette pulled one back, Bompastor's free-kick was turned in by Eugénie Le Sommer before the captain departed to a guard of honour with ten minutes to go.

Lyon only reached the final on Wednesday after a 4-0 win at Montpellier Hérault SC in a game the holders agreed to replay having previously progressed in a disputed penalty shoot-out, St-Étienne having overcome league runners-up Paris Saint-Germain FC 2-0. In the midweek game Lyon lost Amandine Henry to injury and had to wait until player of the year Schelin chipped Méline Gérard to go ahead.

Renard had set up that goal with a flick and the towering defender headed the second herself following Louisa Necib’s free-kick just before the hour. The lead was soon reduced back as Rose Lavaud released Chaumette for the 16-year-old to pull one back.

However, with 16 minutes left Bompastor – who had announced her retirement after this match on the eve of the final – sent in a perfect set-piece for Le Sommer to turn in and seal the 14th trophy of the 156-time capped defender’s career.

The victory means that Lyon's record in 2012/13 was played 37, won 36, lost one with 225 goals scored and eight conceded – that one defeat in the UEFA Women’s Champions League final to VfL Wolfsburg. They will be back in Europe next year but without Bompastor, striker Shinobu Ohno who has returned to Japan, and FCF Juvisy Essonne-bound second-choice goalkeeper Céline Deville. PSG will also represent France from the round of 32 in October.