Five-star Lyon leave final in sight

Holders Olympique Lyonnais continued their seemingly unstoppable charge towards a third successive UEFA Women's Champions League final by building an emphatic first-leg lead against 1. FFC Turbine Potsdam.

The two sides have met in the competition's previous two showpieces – the German title holders winning on penalties in 2010 before OL gained revenge last term – but while those were both even affairs, Patrice Lair's in-form team asserted their superiority on this occasion. Amandine Henry, Camille Abily and Lotta Schelin all scored inside the first 21 minutes to leave the visitors reeling, before Lara Dickenmann's goal and another Abily strike completed the rout after the interval.

Although Bianca Schmidt reduced the arrears a minute from time, heading home from close range after Isabel Kerschowski had nodded on a corner, Lyon will travel to Potsdam next Sunday as strong favourites to progress.

A rain-soaked pitch made passing difficult for both sides, yet the hosts adapted quickly and were soon peppering the Potsdam goal. Eugénie Le Sommer had already fired over when Henry opened the scoring in the sixth minute with a superb long-range shot that dipped into the top corner.

Unbeaten at home in nearly six years, the French outfit were brimming with confidence and continued to sweep forward. After Le Sommer had been felled, Abily curled a delightful 20th-minute free-kick over the wall beyond the reach of Alyssa Naeher. The Turbine goalkeeper was picking the ball out of her net moments later too, as Schelin latched onto Abily's perfectly timed pass and fired a low cross-shot inside the far post.

Bernd Schröder's side began enjoying more possession, but they were again punished by the ruthless hosts in the second half. Dickenmann pounced on Alexandra Singer's loose pass and rifled in a low effort on 55 minutes, and Abily registered her second by nodding home Schelin's pinpoint cross. The Frauen Bundesliga leaders rallied late on, Sarah Bouhaddi saving from Margrét Lára Vidarsdóttir before Schmidt eventually scored, yet their task remains considerable.