Arsenal Thrash Lyon In Women's Champions League On Opening Night As Barca Hit Benfica For Nine

The 2022-23 UEFA Women's Champions League group stage started with a bang on Wednesday night.

Reigning champions Lyon were thrashed 5-1 on home soil by Arsenal.

Beth Mead, 48 hours after coming second in the women's Ballon d'Or, scored twice for Arsenal in France.

Caitlin Foord also bagged a brace for the Gunners, while Frida Maanum and Melvine Malard were the other scorers at the Groupama Stadium.

Arsenal striker Beth Mead pictured shooting to score against Lyon

IMAGO/Sports Press Photo/James Whitehead

Elsewhere in Group C, Juventus won 2-0 at Zurich thanks to strikes from Valentina Cernoia and Barbara Bonansea.

But the other standout result on Wednesday came in Group D where Barcelona won 9-0 at home to Benfica.

Asisat Oshoala and Geyse each scored twice for last season's runners-up, while Patri Guijarro, Aitana Bonmati, Mariona Caldentey, Ana-Maria Crnogorevic and Claudia Pina also found the net.

A picture of the scoreboard at Johan Cruyff Stadium taken during Barcelona's 9-0 win over Benfica

IMAGO/ZUMA Wire/David Ramirez

Wednesday's other result saw Bayern Munich come from behind to beat Rosengard in Germany.

Loretta Kullashi put the Swedish side ahead before Carolin Simon and Linda Dallmann hit back for Bayern.