The 2022/23 UEFA Women’s Champions League group stage held many surprises and spectacular comebacks.
UEFA.com picks the six matches that have thrilled us the most. Vote for your favorite.
19/10/2022, 1st day of group C
The opening night of the group stage caused a sensation, as Lyon began their title defense by suffering the biggest European defeat in their history, and that is when no team has played more games in this competition than at galas. Caitlin Foord and Friday Maanum gave Arsenal the lead in the 23rd minute, and although Melvine Malard got one back shortly after, a Beth Mead free-kick made it 3-1 at the break.
Foord and Mead scored again midway through the second half, marking the first time since FC Lyon became Olympique Lyonnais in 2004 that they have conceded five goals at home. Lyon took revenge with a 0-1 win at Arsenal, which allowed them to progress to the next round, although the “Gunners” finished top of Group C.
essential moment: Foord recovered a ball from a pass from Wendie Renard and scored from distance to make it 1-4, taking the score from incredible to mind-blowing.
26/10/2022, 2nd day of Group B
Qualifying for the group stage on their eagerly awaited European debut, Roma beat Slavia Prague 1-0 on Matchday 1 but looked set for defeat in Austria when Rita Schumacher put St. Pölten up two goals conceded after the break, adding his goal to Jasmin Eder’s goal from a penalty.
There were still 15 minutes to go, but Elena Linari, Valentina Giacinti (blocking a penalty save), Manuela Giugliano and Paloma Lázaro, from distance, turned the game around, although there was still time for Mária Mikolajová to establish a tense finish. The result was crucial in putting Roma out of reach of St. Pölten for the top two spots.
essential moment: At 2-1, home goalkeeper Carina Schlüter flicked the ball off her left post to deflect Andressa Alves’ penalty, but the ball rebounded into Giugliano’s path.
27/10/2022, 2nd day of group D
The 2-0 comeback was the topic of conversation on the second day. Bayern had already come from behind from their 2-1 draw against Rosengård, but at the time of the match, at Benfica, they were losing by two goals scored by Nycole Rysla and Cloé Lacasse. Bayern, who surprisingly drew 0-0 on their visit to Benfica in the 2021/22 group stage, closed the gap with Maximiliane Rall’s header, but Benfica looked to have every chance of recovering from defeat to 9-0. to Barcelona.
However, with seven minutes remaining, Georgia Stanway scored her first goal with a long-range shot. Benfica then scored a penalty, but Maria-Luisa Grohs brilliantly saved a shot from Ana Vitória and eighth minute into stoppage time Stanway shot from outside the box to seal the German triumph. The result was crucial in putting Bayern out of Benfica’s reach for the top two places.
essential moment: Stanway’s late goal, reminiscent of the one in extra time in the UEFA Women’s EURO 2022 quarter-final against Spain.
07/12/2022, 4th day of group D
This time it was Bayern who found themselves 2-0 up against Barcelona in the 10th minute, thanks to the mediation of Klara Bühl and Lina Magull, to the delight of the club’s record 24,000 crowd in Munich. Bayern then displayed a solidity that frustrated a Barcelona side who beat them 3-0 two weeks earlier in front of 46,967 spectators at the Camp Nou.
At game time, Bayern already led 3-0 with a header from Lea Schüller. Five minutes later, Geyse stole the ball from Grohs and pulled one back. Although Bayern managed to win, Barcelona kept their lead on goal difference with the German club, who were to decide first place in Group D.
essential moment: Barcelona have not conceded more than one goal in a game all season (apart from a 2-1 friendly defeat by… Bayern in August). They looked quite shocked when it happened in ten minutes in Monaco.
16/12/2022, 5th day of group A
Last season, Paris and Madrid qualified in the same group, but this time both found themselves in a group with Chelsea determined to make up for their sensational elimination 12 months earlier. Chelsea started with a 1-0 win in Paris and then took four points from Real Madrid to ensure this fixture at the Parc des Princes was almost a knockout match.
And so it was for Real Madrid, as, in an exciting match that could have gone either way, they trailed 2-0 on the hour into the game. Elisa De Almeida’s header made it 1-0 before Kadidiatou Diani’s penalty doubled their lead. Real Madrid had hit two woodwork early in the second half and came into the game with nine minutes remaining after a goal from Claudia Zornoza, who started the game on the bench. A draw would have kept Madrid with options, but Paris held on.
essential moment: The celebrations after Diani’s converted penalty made Paris players and most of the 16,000-plus crowd predict that a campaign that began with setbacks would continue at least until the quarter-finals.
22/12/2022, 6th day of Group A
Chelsea, who had previously won 1-0 in Paris on their European debut this season, triumphed again at Stamford Bridge in front of a record home attendance to finish the group stage on 16 points. This is how he left his surprising elimination in the 2021/22 season in oblivion.
Sam Kerr opened the scoring brilliantly and in the second half Lauren James scored the first two goals of what is likely to be many goals in her UEFA Women’s Champions League career.
essential moment: First goal from Australian Kerr, who reminds us that 2023 could very well be her year for club and country (hosts of the FIFA Women’s World Cup).
