The Matildas' Ellie Carpenter is a European champion but she was carried off with a potentially serious knee injury, 14 months out from the Women's World Cup.
Matildas star Ellie Carpenter has claimed the European crown with Lyon but her triumph was soured by a potentially serious knee injury, just over a year out from a Women's World Cup on home soil.
FC Barcelona - Olympique Lyonnais
- Lyon beat Barรงa 3-1 in the UEFA Women's Champions League final.
- The win marked the eight time Lyon were crowned European Champions.
- Matildas' star Ellie Carpenter was stretchered off with a suspected ACL tear.
More Matildas and ParaMatildas news can be found on The Women's Game.
The full-back was substituted after 13 minutes in Lyon's 3-1 win in the UEFA Women's Champions League final after her knee gave way in open play.
A few minutes earlier she had hurt it while challenging Fridolina Rolfo.
Carpenter received her medal on crutches with her left leg in a brace which ran all the way up to her thigh.
CHAMPIONS OF EUROPE๐ฆ pic.twitter.com/b6j9HNCT8I
โ Ellie Carpenter (@CarpenterEllie) May 22, 2022
If as, feared, Carpenter has suffered a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament, the 22-year-old will be in a race against time to regain fitness before World Cup in July 2023.
Football Australia is awaiting further news of Carpenter's injury from Lyon's medical team, the severity of which likely cannot be confirmed until after scans.
Carpenter has been a lock at right-back for the Matildas since debuting as a 15-year-old in 2016 and has developed into one of the world's best wide defenders.
If an ACL tear is confirmed, Carpenter would be the third Matildas player to suffer the injury in the past 12 months, after Chloe Logarzo and Holly McNamara.
Carpenter's quality is arguably irreplaceable but Charlotte Grant and Karly Roestbakken are two options at right-back for upcoming friendlies against Spain and Portugal.
Lyon were already a goal up when Carpenter departed, Amandine Henry having scored a stunning goal after six minutes, winning possession before scoring from 30 yards.
TAKE. A. BOW. ๐ฅ
โ DAZN Football (@DAZNFootball) May 21, 2022
Amandine Henry with one of the goals of the season for @OLFeminin
Watch the @UWCL Final live ๐
๐ฌ๐ง ๐ ๐ https://t.co/JBKFKDjnnI
๐ช๐ธ ๐ ๐ https://t.co/mCHiZrlDBV
๐ซ๐ท ๐ ๐ https://t.co/tHncncobhD pic.twitter.com/eDXeDvlLBx
After Barcelona's Jenni Hermoso had missed two good chances, Hegerberg headed in Selma Bacha's cross to double the lead.
The @UWCL's all-time top scorer, Ada Hegerberg, doubles @OLFeminin's lead! ๐ฏ
โ DAZN Football (@DAZNFootball) May 21, 2022
Watch the @UWCL Final live ๐
๐ฌ๐ง ๐ ๐ https://t.co/JBKFKDjnnI
๐ช๐ธ ๐ ๐ https://t.co/mCHiZrlDBV
๐ซ๐ท ๐ ๐ https://t.co/tHncncobhD pic.twitter.com/7F3NTTmB1R
Catarina Macario tapped in a Hegerberg cross with Barca in disarray before Putellas scored in the 41st minute to give them hope.
A second angle of Ada Hegerberg and Catarina Macario's goals ๐ฅ
โ DAZN Football (@DAZNFootball) May 21, 2022
๐ฌ๐ง ๐ ๐ https://t.co/JBKFKDAYMi
๐ช๐ธ ๐ ๐ https://t.co/mCHiZr42Kn
๐ซ๐ท ๐ ๐ https://t.co/tHncnc6Aq5 pic.twitter.com/MIwhby4edw
Though Patri Guijarro hit the crossbar in the 58th minute from 50 yards Barcelona were unable to get the second goal which could have had Lyon worried.
ALEXIA PUTELLAS GIVES @FCBFEMENI HOPE! ๐ฟ
โ DAZN Football (@DAZNFootball) May 21, 2022
She is now the top scorer in the #UWCL this season. ๐ฏ
Watch the @UWCL Final live ๐
๐ฌ๐ง ๐ ๐ https://t.co/JBKFKDjnnI
๐ช๐ธ ๐ ๐ https://t.co/mCHiZrlDBV
๐ซ๐ท ๐ ๐ https://t.co/tHncncobhD pic.twitter.com/XATSkA4mLh
Lyon have now won eight of the last 12 Women's Champions Leagues, but this was as warmly received as any having been eclipsed in many people's eyes by Barcelona.
๐๐น๐น๐ถ๐ฒ ๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ป๐๐ฒ๐ฟ: ๐จ๐๐๐ ๐ช๐ผ๐บ๐ฒ๐ป'๐ ๐๐ต๐ฎ๐บ๐ฝ๐ถ๐ผ๐ป๐ ๐๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ด๐๐ฒ ๐ช๐ถ๐ป๐ป๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐@CarpenterEllie's @olfeminin have claimed their EIGHTH #UWCL title after beating FC Barcelona 3-1 in Turin!
โ CommBank Matildas (@TheMatildas) May 21, 2022
Congratulations, Ellie! ๐#WeAreMatildas @OL_English pic.twitter.com/VSU9vP2NRi
However Lyon, who beat Barca 4-1 in the 2019 final, did not play them in last season's competition having been knocked out by domestic rivals Paris St Germain.
But they did not have Hegerberg in the team then as she was recovering from an ACL injury.
The Norwegian said pertinently before the final, "There was women's football before Barcelona, and it was played here (Lyon) for years. We have to win again to regain our place in world football."
Hegerberg's recovery - she was outstanding in the final - offers hope for Carpenter if, as feared, she has also suffered ruptured her ACL.
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