Inside Katie McCabe's Champions League semi-final performance as Arsenal stun Lyon

Emma Duffy

JUST BEFORE THE hour mark in Arsenal’s sensational Uefa Women’s Champions League win over Lyon, Katie McCabe made a crucial interception.

The Irish captain accounted for many on the night, but none quite as important as this.

Just off the line, she headed away a goal-bound effort.

When Lyon’s Haitian star Melchie Dumornay pulled the trigger, and her volley ricocheted off the turf at Groupama Stadium, it looked destined for the back of the net.

Arsenal led 3-0 at the time, 4-2 on aggregate amid a stunning second-leg turnaround, but a goal at this crucial juncture would have sparked the record eight-time champions to life.

However, Dumornay’s rocket was met by the head — maybe even face — of McCabe, positioned in front of Daphne Van Domselaar. The Arsenal goalkeeper had all but committed, but there was no guarantee she would stop the shot herself given its trajectory.

As McCabe’s last-ditch clearance slowly rolled to safety up-field, she stood frozen in time. A pat on the back from Van Domselaar spoke volumes. Body, mind and all on the line. A sigh of relief breathed, and back to work.

This was just one example of the leading role McCabe played as Arsenal reached their first European final in 18 years — and just second ever.

It finished 4-1 on the night, 5-3 on aggregate, and back-to-back champions Barcelona await in Lisbon on 24 May.

In her 10th season with Arsenal, McCabe will now hope to emulate Irish trio Emma Byrne, Ciara Grant and Yvonne Tracy, who won the Uefa Women’s Cup with the North London outfit in 2007.

Champions League final bound, after a whirlwind season hit new heights in Lyon.

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Trailing 2-1 after the first leg at the Emirates Stadium, “belief” was the resounding word from the Arsenal camp last week. It has been evident in action since former assistant manager Renée Slegers took interim charge in October, and was made permanent in January.

McCabe joined the Dutch boss in Friday’s pre-match press conference, and shared full confidence that Arsenal could turn it around.

“But we have to be on it from the get go,” she stressed.

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That, they were.

And Lyon were not. Nervy and making uncharacteristic errors, the visitors capitalised.

Within five minutes, they led 1-0, and the tie was level.

Christiane Endler went from producing a big save to deny Arsenal’s captain fantastic Kim Little, to scoring an own goal. The Lyon goalkeeper completely missed Chloe Kelly’s corner, and an attempt to head clear bounced off Endler’s back and into the net.

The dream start; foundations laid for a huge Arsenal performance.

McCabe, meanwhile, set her stall out early from left-back. “Brilliant Katie, from minute one,” as Arsenal legend Ian Wright later wrote on Instagram.

Eight days previous at the Emirates, Kadidiatou Diani broke the deadlock in the 17th minute from down McCabe’s side. 

Lyon manager Joe Montemurro — formerly Arsenal’s, and indeed, Slegers’ mentor on the Uefa coach mentor programme — spoke afterwards about their plan to exploit the space behind McCabe as she looked to attack.

The Dubliner was notably more defensive-minded on this occasion, which minimised Lyon’s frightening counter-attacking threat.

Her individual battle with Diani was fascinating; McCabe coming out on top for the most part. She stepped up with some huge blocks on the electric French winger, thwarting crosses on at least three occasions in the first half alone.

She repeatedly dispossessed her — no mean feat — and won the aerial duel. Twice, she came from behind to rob the ball and set off on trademark marauding runs.

The attacking outlet offer remained, but McCabe was more conservative to good effect.

That was something former Arsenal star Jen Beattie noted on TNT commentary: her experience and composure showed as she played simple passes, not always forward. One cross-field ball to Kelly, however, sticks in the memory.

For all of these eye-catching contributions, Mariona Caldentey’s goal in first-half stoppage-time was jaw-dropping. The Spaniard typically showed her class with a superb curling finish to put Arsenal 2-0 up in the 46th minute. McCabe was in the background, arms outstretched, as the shot took flight. She knew exactly where it was going.

Just before the break, the Kilnamanagh native misjudged a cross and lost track of Damaris Egurrola but Van Domselaar reacted to claim and salvage the two-goal lead. 

Some 27 seconds after the restart, it was 3-0. Bedlam. Alessia Russo fired home after a catalogue of defensive errors. Complete and utter shell-shock for Lyon, dreamland for Arsenal.

They would have been mindful they didn’t take their chances in the first leg, but few could have predicted what was unfolding here.

Lyon tried to muster a response: Van Domselaar denied Ada Hegerberg, McCabe cleared off the line, Arsenal weathered the mini storm.

And in the 63rd minute, Caitlin Foord made it four. Vanessa Gilles slipped on the ball in the box, Foord pounced, and smashed into the roof of the net.

Only divine intervention could change the outcome now.

McCabe kept going with her mundane ones, tussling with Diani, Dumornay and Ellie Carpenter; hassling, harrying, blocking and clearing. Her work-rate was off the charts.

Lyon eventually found a way through in the 81st minute. The goal was created down McCabe’s side; Danielle van de Donk’s pass splitting the defence and Carpenter’s cross only half cleared to Dumornay, who did the rest. 

But Arsenal reacted well, and held firm to the finish. 

McCabe is never happy to be substituted, but she bounced off in the 92nd minute here. Her last act was a push on Diani over the endline, which went unseen and resulted in a goal-kick. As a frustrated Diani complained, McCabe simply smiled.

That said it all.

Job done. 

Her stats are worth a look: most interceptions, most blocks, 75 touches, four clearances, five recoveries, 100% tackles won, 79% accurate passes and 12 passes into the final third.

Kim Little and Mariona Caldentey have rightly gotten the plaudits for their midfield masterclasses, but McCabe also played a leading role in a huge team performance. 

She will hope for more of the same in Lisbon next month, as she becomes the first Irish international to play in a Champions League final since John O’Shea in 2009 (Caoimhín Kelleher was an unused substitute in 2019 and 2022).

Others from these shores will also be involved: Paudie Roche (physical performance lead) and Len Pentony (camera operator) are on the Arsenal Women’s staff, while Eoin Clarkin (S&C) works across the club.

The men’s team will be hoping to follow, having also pulled off a quarter-final remontada against Real Madrid as PSG await this week.

For McCabe and co, it’s back to WSL action.

And then off she goes again, from Kilnamanagh to another of the world’s biggest stages.

The Champions League dream burns bright.