By SCM Sports Writer I Thursday, Nov. 20.25
BIEL-LIEVE IT! In a venue barely fit for a Sunday League scrap, Juventus Women staged one of the most stunning collapses of the UEFA Women’s Champions League season, throwing away a three-goal lead against giants Lyon last night.
The match, which finished an electrifying 3-3 draw, wasn’t played in the grand setting of Turin’s Allianz Stadium, but in the intimate and slightly bizarre surroundings of the Stadio Comunale Vittorio Pozzo
Lamarmora—a cosy ground in the small, unassuming town of Biella, nearly an hour outside of the main city.
With a capacity of just over 5,000, the Pozzo-Lamarmora felt more like a local event than a European blockbuster. But the action on the pitch was anything but small-time!
Juve, the plucky underdogs, shocked the seven-time champions Lyon by racing into a 3-0 lead before half-time.
Chiara Beccari’s stunning opener was followed by quick-fire goals from Michela Cambiaghi and Tatiana Pinto, sending the small crowd packed into the Biella stands absolutely wild.
At the break, the Pozzo-Lamarmora was buzzing. It was set up to witness perhaps the greatest upset in the club’s history.
But Lyon—the French masters—had other ideas.
The second half turned into a siege. Tabitha Chawinga pulled one back, and when substitute Marie-Antoinette Katoto headed in a second, the nerves were palpable among the Bianconere faithful who had made the journey to Biella’s suburban stadium.
The pressure finally told in the 90th minute. A cruel handball decision in the box meant Lyon’s legendary captain, Wendie Renard, stepped up.
The defender calmly slotted the penalty past the keeper to complete the comeback and seal a jaw-dropping 3-3 draw. The roar from the small contingent of travelling fans and the collective groan from the home support made the wooden stands of the La Marmora Stadium feel like they were shaking!
The result secures Lyon’s qualification, but for Juventus, the drama in Biella leaves them facing an uphill battle to progress from the group stage.
It was a night of Champions League quality football played on a local scale, proving that sometimes, the biggest drama happens in the smallest arenas.
