Around OL – Three from OL Family Named to WICC Best XI

Three from OL Family Honored in WICC Best XI

(photo credit: Damien LG)

Three prominent figures in the OL family were honored in the first inaugural Women’s International Champions Cup Best XI, Relevent Sports Group announced Wednesday. OL Reign’s Megan Rapinoe and Olympique Lyonnais’ Wendie Renard and Jean-Michel Aulas all received the award.

The list, compiled by Relevent—which organizes the Women’s International Champions Cup—aims to recognize the athletes, executives, journalists and coaches who are doing the most to advance women’s soccer around the world.

The Best XI was put together by a board of prominent voices in the global soccer community, including Vero Boquete, Laura Gentile, Nadine Kessler, Heather O’Reilly, Brianna Scurry, Danielle Slaton and Grant Wahl.

Relevent Sports will be unveiling in-depth interviews with each of the Best XI members over the next few weeks.

We're thrilled to officially launch the 2020 WICC Best XI presented by @Ally! https://t.co/xeA7JnqHiV

— Women's ICC (@iccwomen) December 1, 2020

Seven from OL Féminin Nominated for FIFA Awards

FIFA unveiled the full list of nominees for The Best FIFA Football Awards 2020 on November 25. Six players and a coach from Olympique Lyonnais Féminin—along with OL Reign’s own Shirley Cruz—were nominated for the awards.

OL’s strongest presence is in the shortlist of nominees for the Best FIFA Women’s Player, which OL Reign forward Megan Rapinoe won in 2019. Five Lyon players were named to the 11-player shortlist, more than any other club.

Additionally, goalkeeper Sarah Bouhaddi made the six-player shortlist for the Best FIFA Women’s Goalkeeper, while Jean-Luc Vasseur made the seven-person shortlist for Best FIFA Women’s Coach.

Cruz was nominated for the Puskás Award, given to the player who scores the best goal of the year, for her strike for Costa Rica back on January 28.

Fans can make their votes online until December 9, with the three finalists for each category set to be unveiled on December 11.

Best FIFA Women’s Player Nominees:

Lucy Bronze (England, Olympique Lyonnais/Manchester City)
Delphine Cascarino (France/Olympique Lyonnais)
Caroline Graham (Norway/FC Barcelona)
Pernille Harder (Denmark/VFL Wolfsburg/Chelsea)
Jennifer Hermoso (Spain/FC Barcelona)
Ji Soyun (Korea Republic/Chelsea)
Sam Kerr (Australia/Chelsea)
Saki Kumagai (Japan/Olympique Lyonnais)
Dzenifer Maroszán (Germany/Olympique Lyonnais)
Vivianne Miedema (Netherlands/Arsenal)
Wendie Renard (France/Olympique Lyonnais)

Renard’s Header Guarantees France’s Trip to European Championship

OL defender Wendie Renard headed home the game-winning goal for France in the 11th minute against Austria on Friday, November 27, with the 3-0 win clinching the top spot in Group G of the UEFA Women’s Championship qualifiers.

Renard was one of five Lyon players who were called in by Les Bleues, along with Sakina Karchaoui, Amel Majri, Delphine Cascarino and Amandine Henry. Eugénie Le Sommer, who was also called in by French coach Corinne Diacre, was unable to play due to a hamstring injury she picked up against PSG on November 20.

After clinching the top spot in the group, France rounded out its qualifying schedule with a 12-0 dismantling of Kazakhstan on Tuesday, December 1. Lyon’s Delphine Cascarino scored the eighth goal in the rout in the 50th minute. Majri recorded three assists in the contest, including Elisa De Almeida’s game winner in the fifth minute of play.

Four other nations that called in players from Lyon also qualified for the tournament, set to be played in 2022: Germany (Dzenifer Maroszán), Iceland (Sara Björk Gunnarsdóttir), Spain (Lola Gallardo) and Belgium (Janice Cayman).

Lyon Defeat Reims to Remain in Top Three

Olympique Lyonnais (6-1-5, 23 points, 3rd) were in full control at the Groupama Stadium on Sunday, November 29, earning a 3-0 victory over Stade de Reims (2-7-3, 9 points, 17th). Forward Karl Toko Ekmabi was involved in all three of Lyon’s goals.

The Cameroonian forward notched the game-winner in the 22nd minute, finishing off a cross from Memphis Depay back across the face of goal.

Reims were reduced to 10 men in the 32nd minute after Moreta Cassamã tripped up Depay while the forward was through on goal, drawing a straight red card from referee Jerome Miguelgorry.

Lyon struck again in the 49th minute, when Toko Ekambi found Bruno Guimarães outside the penalty area with a low cross. The Brazilian smacked a line drive toward goal off the bounce, which glanced off a defender and sent Reims keeper Pedrag Rajiković the wrong way for his first Ligue 1 goal.

Toko Ekambi notched his second assist in the 66th minute, slipping a through ball to Moussa Dembélé, which the forward calmly chipped over the keeper for his first goal of the season.

The win runs OL’s unbeaten run to nine matches, with four wins in their last five outings.

Upcoming Matches Around OL

Le Havre vs. Olympique Lyonnais Féminin – Stade Océane, Le Havre, France – Saturday, December 5, 5:30 a.m. PT

FC Metz vs. Olympique Lyonnais – Stade Saint-Symphorien, Longeville-lès-Metz, France – Sunday, December 6, 12:00 p.m. PT