Melchie Dumornay could be OL Lyonnes’ key as Champions League knockout push begins | OneFootball

Fresh from scoring the winner in the League Cup final against PSG, 1-0, Melchie Dumornay could be decisive for OL Lyonnes as their Champions League knockout campaign starts at Wolfsburg on Tuesday.

“When I hear the Champions League anthem, I get goosebumps, it is like a war cry and the signal that the battle starts,” she told Queenzine, UEFA’s fanzine.

She hit braces against Arsenal and Manchester United in the group stage, winning 2-1 and 3-0, and she is currently OL Lyonnes’ leading scorer in the competition.

In Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, she struck the only goal of the League Cup final to beat PSG 1-0, delivering the club’s first trophy. Last weekend she set up Ada Hegerberg in a 2-0 win over Fleury.

Recast as a forward by Joe Montemurro last season, she scored 22 in 28, although OL Lyonnes won only the French title. She was shortlisted among the top three in Première Ligue and placed 18th in the Ballon d’Or.

With Jonatan Giraldez in charge, the arrival of Marie-Antoinette Katoto and Ada Hegerberg’s resurgence have returned her to midfield, where her qualities show. Dumornay said the coach asks her to keep position, occupy space and create between the lines, which has helped her balance and freshness.

Giraldez has praised her two-way contribution and evolution, noting she now helps build play and arrive in the box. The deeper role has reduced her scoring to three league goals, but she has produced nine assists.

Source: L'Équipe