Lyon 0-0 Chelsea: Lauren James sees penalty overturned by VAR as Blues draw with eight-time Women's Champions League winners
Report as Chelsea draw at last season's beaten Women's Champions League finalists Lyon; Lauren James wastes best chance and sees penalty overturned by VAR, while Ada Hegerberg is denied by superb Hannah Hampton save
Wednesday 30 September 2026 22:58, UK
Lauren James saw a late penalty decision overturned by VAR as Chelsea played out a goalless draw away to last season's Women's Champions League finalists and eight-time winners Lyon.
James initially appeared to have been brought down by Damaris Egurrola inside the Lyon box with only minutes remaining, but having initially given the penalty, referee Marta Huerta de Aza overturned her decision after consulting the VAR review monitor.
Both sides could have won the game at the Parc Olympique Lyonnais, with Ada Hegerberg forcing Hannah Hampton into a superb full-length save in added time.
Until that point, both sides had struggled to create clear-cut chances in the south of France, with substitute James arguably the most guilty of wasting one of few significant opportunities when she fired straight at Maria Grohs from Alyssa Thompson's pull back.
Beyond that, there was little to separate the sides who both appeared content to settle for a draw in Sonia Bompastor's first return to her former side, who she won the Champions League with in 2022.
Bompastor: We created enough to win the game
Chelsea head coach Sonia Bompastor on Paramount Plus:
"Coming into the game, we knew the tactics would be important both on and off the ball. We had a plan and I'm really happy with our performance on the ball. We exploited many positions on the pitch and behind the back line.
"We created enough to win the game, so we're a bit disappointed. With the quality of Lauren James, her chance should have gone in but it happens. It's early in the season.
"Playing against Sunday on Arsenal was a good thing, but we couldn't prepare for this the way we wanted to with fresh legs and tactically.
"The team is together, right now, which is really important. The players understand what we want to do."
Bronze proud of Chelsea effort
Chelsea defender Lucy Bronze to Disney+:
"We dominated possession, but it's a fair result. They had some good counter-attacking moments, they were on top at the end but that's what happens when two top teams play against each other.
"A draw for both teams, at this time of the season, is probably not the worst thing.
"We worked our socks off and I'm just proud of every single player, especially considering we played a very difficult game three days ago [against Arsenal]."
