Chelsea get a Reit result in Champions League as Giro hands them first-leg lead over Lyon

Giro Reiten’s right leg, discuss.

In an era of almost academic analysis being conducted on football, it is probably worth trying to work out what exactly is the value of the Norway left-winger’s right peg.

There are many seasoned Chelsea women watchers who will suggest it’s purely there for balance. Others might suggest it helps when she is walking or indeed running at defences and terrorising them into errors.

Few, if indeed any, would suggest that it’s actually of any use on the field of play.

No, that’s the exclusivity of Reiten’s left leg. It’s the leg where she whips in immaculate crosses for the likes of Sam Kerr to gobble up and dispatch the ball into the back of the net, with consummate composure and class.

It’s the leg that taps the ball past an oncoming right-back, before she steams past them to set up yet another attacking chance for the trophy-laden women from Kingsmeadow.

Yet on Wednesday night, it probably became the most significant leg in the club’s recent history in the 28th minute.

Let’s not forget the scene – Chelsea were playing away in the giant stadium that houses Lyon Feminines. The very same French side who are eight times Champions League winners. In fact they are the current Champions League holders.

It was the first leg (yep, it’s all about a leg) of the Champions League quarter-final.

Last season Emma Hayes’ side failed to get out of the group stage.

This season their imperious Euro form has seen them progress unbeaten.

And now they faced their mightiest challenge yet.

After a less than convincing opening 20 minutes, the Blues started to grow in confidence.

And then it happened. Reiten’s right leg decided it wanted to have the spotlight – to show the footballing world it wasn’t just there to make the left leg look good. But it needed help. And that came from the right leg of midfielder Erin Cuthbert.

The Scottish terrier nipped in to intercept the ball in midfield. It even nutmegged a Lyon player too in the process. This carried the ball forward in a central position.

The French side’s defence opted to drop a little further back, hoping to close down the space near their penalty area.

But Reiten had other ideas, or rather her right leg did.

Ably-assisted by her left leg, the winger, 28, nipped forward and slightly to her right as she approached the Lyon area.

It was then that Cuthbert produced an exquisite low, right-footed angled pass to her left.

The ball was now rolling to the left apex of the area – Reiten and a Lyon defender were arrowing towards it,  but it was Reiten who reached it first, and her powerful stride meant that to connect with the ball instantly it would mean she had to hit it with her right leg, the less glamorous, always in the shadow of the left appendage.And boy was it the perfect connection. In an instant the right pegged achieved global stardom, the lights were flashing like at an Oscar ceremony red carpet.

The second the ball hit the right boot, it was destined for greatness and the ball curled beautifully wide of the desperate dive of the Chilean goalkeeper Christiane Endler and nestled into the far corner of her net.

It was the only goal of the night and gives the Blues the perfect chance to progress into the semi-final when they face the return leg at Stamford Bridge on Thursday.

If legs could talk, then Reiten’s right would be shouting.

But its owner was actually more subdued. So much so that she didn’t actually see the result of her leg’s handiwork.

Reiten said: “I didn’t see it go in but I heard the crowd. Did I actually score? It was a great feeling.”

Explaining the execution, she added: “I felt that I didn’t have much time to line up the shot. That’s why I struck it so well, actually. I don’t usually shoot with my right foot.

“The girls even told me they’d never seen me shoot with my right.”

Chelsea face Manchester City on Sunday in the WSL with Millie Bright a doubt after she was forced off with a right knee injury.