Goals flow for Bardolino and Lyon

UEFA Women's Cup semi-finalists ASD CF Bardolino Verona and Olympique Lyonnais have returned from their winter breaks in free-scoring mood while deposed European champions Arsenal LFC are fully on course to return to the competition next season.

Lyon in form
Lyon, who knocked Arsenal out in the quarter-finals, ended the first half of the French season unbeaten and picked up where they left off with a 4-0 win against Paris Saint-Germain, aided by a Camille Abily hat-trick and a clean sheet on Norway goalkeeper Bente Nordby's competitive debut for the club. At the weekend they improved on that with a 6-1 triumph at Sade Briochin and now lead Juvisy FCF by nine points. Lyon's semi-final opponents Umeå IK do not begin the defence of their Swedish title until after their UEFA Women's Cup tie on 30 March and 4 April, but have already received a setback with Brazilian international suffering a cruciate knee ligament tear, ruling her out for the rest of the competition.

Bardolino soar
Italian champions Bardolino have now played three games since Serie A resumed on 19 January. On that day four Patrizia Panico goals gave them a 6-0 win at AC Riozzese and a week later lowly visitors ACF Trento were seen off 8-0. On Saturday the goalscoring continued as Bardolino triumphed 7-1 at Chiasiellis Calcio to maintain their three-point lead over Torres CF. Bardolino take on 1. FFC Frankfurt on 29 Match and 5 April, and the Frauen-Bundesliga leaders are next in action at Hamburger SV on 17 February as they lead FCR 2001 Duisburg by five points, though the second-placed team have two games in hand.

Arsenal on top
Arsenal are concentrating on domestic duties and Sunday's 3-1 win at Blackburn Rovers LFC, with second-half goals from Faye White, Julie Fleeting and Kelly Smith, stretched their perfect FA Women's Premier League start to ten games and finally took them to the top of the table. Arsenal began their season late due to the FIFA Women's World Cup but are now a point ahead of Bristol Academy WFC with six games in hand. Fellow former European contenders Everton LFC are sixth but have only dropped four points, and the pair play in the League Cup final on 28 February in London. Chelsea LFC look out of contention but have shown their ambition with the signing of Lorrie Fair, part of the United States' 1999 World Cup-winning team.