Kadeisha Buchanan made history, by becoming the first Canadian to lift the Champions League trophy as Lyon beat PSG 7-6 in a penalty shootout in the final of the European women’s showcase event.
The victory came at the expense of fellow citizen Ashley Lawrence, who played the full match for PSG and converted her own penalty in the shootout.
The two 21-year-olds are best friends and have 121 caps for Canada between them. They met at the Brams United Girls Soccer Club in Brampton, at the under-nine level. Apart from their under-14 and -15 seasons in their youth soccer, the two West Virginia University graduates had always played together before joining the rival French clubs last season.
Lyon keeper Sarah Bouhaddi scored the winning penalty, immediately after PSG counterpart Katarzyna Kiedrzynek sent her ball wide of the post. She buried her head in her gloves and then fell on her knees.
Both keepers made incredible saves as the shootout went to eight rounds.
Both teams created chances in a goalless 90 minutes. While PSG was on the front foot in the first half, Lyon began to press hard later in the second.
Lyon, which had already won the French league title and Cup, claimed the treble for the second year in a row. The French outfit beat German club Wolfsburg 4-3 on penalties in the previous European final.
Lyon has now won four out of six European finals (2011, 2012, 2016 and 2017), matching Frankfurt’s record for appearances and titles. PSG lost to FSV Frankfurt in its only other European final in 2015.
It marked the first time that two teams from the same domestic league contested for the European club championship.
It was a painful loss for PSG as they were beaten by the same penalty shootout score in the French Cup before the match.
Buchanan started in the center of the Lyon defence, alongside Lyon captain Wendie Renard, while Lawrence started at left wing-back for PSG.
The two Canadians crossed paths in the 15th minute, with Buchanan winning the contest.
PSG captain Shirley Cruz came very close in the 33rd minute but the keeper made the save and the Lyon defence cleared the rebound.
Norwegian attacker, Ada Hegerberg had a nice chance for Lyon in the 52nd minute, with two efforts in front of goal. But she played the first straight at the goalkeeper and fired the rebound wide of the goal post.
PSG survived the pressure and nearly went ahead in the 63rd when Cruz carved open the Lyon defence with a fine pass to Marie-Laure Delie as Buchanan stepped forward to close Cruz down. Delie beat the goalkeeper but she sent her shot just wide of the post, looking up at the sky in shock afterwards.
Kiedrzynek’s faulty punch, thanks in part to an unnecessary physical challenge from Renard, cleared a fantastic Lyon free kick in the 83rd minute.
Lawrence played her role at both ends of the pitch, winning a free kick in her own penalty box deep in second-half stoppage time to stop a Lyon attack.
That Thursday marked the fourth meeting between the French rivals last season, with Lyon winning three with one loss.
PSG, who finished third in the league, needed a win in Cardiff to qualify for Europe this season.
And Kadeisha Buchanan became the first Canadian to ever lay hands on the Champions League trophy.
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