As part of their preparations for the upcoming 2023/2024 season, Olympique Lyonnais, the champions of France faced the Netherlands’ Champions Ajax Vrouwen in an exciting friendly at the Groupama OL Training Center in Lyon in the presence of several hundred enthusiastic fans.

The match ended in a 2-1 victory in favor of the Dutch visitors. The Eredivisie top scorer, Romée Leuchter, with 18 goals, netted both of her team’s goals while Inès Benyahia scored the sole goal for Olympique Lyonnais.

Olympique Lyonnais holds the esteemed reputation of being the most accomplished women's team globally. They have clinched the national championship (D1 Arkema) fourteen times and secured the UEFA EFA Women's Champions League a record eight times.

AFC Ajax Vrouwen is the current champion of the Vrouwen Eredivisie, the top women's league in the Netherlands. The team won the national league on 3 occasions: 2016-17, 2017–18 and 2022–23. It was only founded in 2012 and is coached by Suzanne Bakker.

With this victory, Ajax Women end their pre-season successfully as they prepare to face FC Twente in the Dutch Super Cup.As for Sonia Bompastor’s side, it is rumoured that the team will play one last friendly match in the first few days of September before officially kicking off the season on September 10 with a clash against Paris Saint Germain in le Trophée des Championnes.

As it was the case for the first two friendlies against Grasshopper Club Zürich and Olympique de Marseille, the majority of the French starting eleven consisted of the academy’s products. The duo Wassa Sangare – Alice Marques started in the back four before being replaced by Vanessa Gilles and Griedge MBock.

The left flank saw lively contributions from the 18-year old Louna Belhout-Achi. As for Maeline Mendy, she showcased once again her potential of becoming one of the world’s best players thanks to her high-level IQ and remarkable passing ability.

Julie Swierot, who suffered an ACL tear last year and signed her first professional contract this summer; played a pivotal role in the match as she assisted Benyahia’s goal.

With 30 minutes to go, a few recognizable stars from the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup returned to the club football scene. Lindsey Horan (United States of America), Vanessa Gilles (Canada) and Sara Däbritz (Germany) were subbed on, replacing Louna Belhout-Achi, Wassa Sangare and Julie Swierot.

Many key figures are expected to be featured in the club’s upcoming matches such as Wendie Renard, Selma Bacha, Eugénie Le Sommer (France), Ada Hegerberg (Norway), Daniëlle van de Donk (the Netherlands), the newcomer Melchie Dumornay (Haiti) and others.

In September 2022, while representing France in a qualifying match for the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup against Greece, Griedge MBock suffered a severe knee injury.

She was forced to miss her club’s entire season and couldn’t make herself available to join Les Bleues squad at the World Cup.

A year later, MBock finally made her return to the football pitch. This news has been welcomed with great joy by Sonia Bompastor, as MBock and the captain Wendie Renard have long formed an unbeatable duo.

Endler (C) – Sombath – Marques – Sangare – Morroni – Marozsan – Mendy – Benyahia – Belhout Achi – Swierot – Malard.

Van Der Wal – Noordam – De Sanders – Spitse – Weerden – Van Gool (C) – Sabajo – Yohannes – Grant – Leuchter – T. Hoekstra

Minute 32: Leuchter puts Ajax in front.

Minute 40: Inès Benyahia equalizes for Olympique Lyonnais assisted by an academy prospect, Julie Swierot.

Minute 48: Christiane Endler denies Bente Jansen and keeps her team in the game.

Minute 57: Leuchter adds a second to her tally with a splendid free-kick.

Minute 59: Vanessa Gilles, Lindsey Horan and Sara Däbritz are subbed in.

Minute 75: The French International Griedge Mbock makes her comeback after being sidelined with a terrible knee injury.