There were plenty of encouraging signs for Chelsea as they claimed a valuable point in the Champions League on their head coach Sonia Bompastor's return to face her former team OL Lyonnes.
The goalless draw was a slow-burner but concluded with a flurry of late action where both teams missed chances to steal the points. However a draw felt fair on a night when Chelsea's double pivot of Keira Walsh and Lexi Potter in midfield continued to flourish, three days after they similarly impressed in Sunday's victory over Arsenal.
OL Lyonnes had scored eight times in their first fixture in the league phase, away against the Swiss side Servette, but Chelsea looked comfortable for large periods and Bompastor said: "I'm really proud of my team, being able to not concede here. We are happy also with the ball, the way we performed, we were able to exploit different spaces. The only thing that was missing was the goal."
The French side had scored at least seven times in all four matches they had played in all competitions this season. Given that formidable form and the confidence in the hosts' front line, Chelsea were grateful to Hannah Hampton for her sharp save from Salma Paralluelo on 20 minutes, and similarly glad to see Melchie Dumornay's powerful effort fizz just wide of a post a few minutes later.
Chelsea had the majority of the ball, however. Potter, buoyed by the receipt of her first senior England call-up on Tuesday, gave as good as she got in the physical battle in midfield and generally appeared at home on this stage, at the record eight-time European champions, which will have been pleasing for Sarina Wiegman. The 20-year-old, alongside her compatriot Walsh, helped Chelsea maintain an element of control.
Unlike Chelsea, who played a fiery derby against Arsenal in England, the top French sides were able to rest at the weekend, in between the first two European fixtures, as the French league helps its sides stay fresh for the Champions League. Other French top-tier sides played in the League Cup instead. It was therefore reasonable to assume that Lyonnes might look the stronger as this contest went on. That was true to a degree, as Chelsea – missing Katie McCabe through illness – tired slightly late on.
It was Chelsea, however, who started the second period the brighter. They thought they deserved a penalty when Tarciane took out Sjoeke Nüsken at the far post, just as the Chelsea midfielder looked certain to score, but after a check on the monitor, the referee concluded that Lucy Bronze had been interfering with play from an offside position as the ball was crossed. Tarciane was booked for her challenge, nonetheless.
Bompastor, who won this competition as a player and a manager with Lyonnes, brought on Lauren James to give her side a different forward dynamic with just over half an hour remaining, while Lyonnes introduced a former Ballon d'Or winner in Ada Hegerberg, but neither side looked likely to break the deadlock until much later, as the off-the-ball qualities of both teams appeared to cancel each other out. A cautious approach, from Chelsea in particular, was understandable; this was, by a significant distance, the toughest-looking fixture of their league-phase matches, against last season's runners-up.
Lyonnes, owned by the London City Lionesses and Washington Spirit owner, Michele Kang, have high ambitions to win this title this term. They thought they had scored on 72 minutes, when Paralluelo struck a low shot into the bottom corner, but the offside flag was raised.
Just a few minutes later, a moment of real controversy arose, as Chelsea were awarded a penalty for a foul by Damaris Egurrola on James. After a video review, the decision was overturned with the referee appearing to conclude that James had made contact with Egurrola rather than the other way around. The Lyonnes midfielder, though, looked very fortunate to escape, having mistimed her tackle and also missed the ball completely. Chelsea were exasperated. Bompastor said later that she felt it was a "clear penalty".
James had Chelsea's best chance late on but her close-range strike was blocked by Mala Grohs in goal, before Hampton saved superbly from Hegerberg at the other end, as the match finally came to life in the very late stages and Maika Hamano dragged a shot wide deep into stoppage time. But Chelsea will be satisfied with this point.