NEW YORK — Haitian soccer star Melchie Daëlle “Corventina” Dumornay noticed her Ballon d’Or award hopes take a big hit after OL Lyonnes suffered a 4-0 defeat to FC Barcelona within the Girls’s UEFA Champions League last. Nonetheless, many Haitian followers imagine the 22-year-old deserves to complete among the many world’s high three gamers this yr.
“She is going to a minimum of be within the High 3,” fan Michelet Jérôme, {an electrical} engineer in Port-au-Prince, informed The Haitian Occasions after the match on Could 23. “I feel a Barcelona participant will win the Ballon d’Or [again] as a result of they received the Champions League, which is a serious title. However I’ll nonetheless be happy if Melchie finishes second or third.”
Followers throughout Haiti and the diaspora additionally reacted on social media, arguing that one disappointing last mustn’t overshadow Dumornay’s excellent season.
“To me, Melchie shouldn’t be out of the Ballon d’Or race,” X person commenting underneath Mc.Gareth286 profile wrote. “She has been one of the talked-about gamers in ladies’s soccer this season. It’ll be laborious for them to overlook her already simply because there aren’t any different large competitions left.”
“Once you’re taking part in an enormous recreation like this, even in the event you’re dropping, lose like a participant who’s on a mission.”
Wendy Falaise, soccer fan
The ultimate, performed Could 23 at Ullevaal Stadium in Oslo, Norway, marked Dumornay’s second Champions League last loss to Barcelona in three years. OL Lyonnes additionally misplaced to the Spanish powerhouse 2-0 within the 2024 last.
Barcelona dominated Saturday’s match, with Ewa Pajor and Salma Paralluelo every scoring two objectives within the second half. OL Lyonnes thought they’d opened the scoring within the 14th minute via Lindsey Heaps, however their celebration was short-lived when a VAR overview dominated the aim out for offside.
Barcelona stars could acquire edge in Ballon d’Or race
Earlier than the ultimate, sports activities outlet Goal ranked Dumornay because the second-leading contender for the Ballon d’Or behind Barcelona midfielder Alexia Putellas, with Pajor third.
Pajor’s two-goal efficiency within the last is anticipated to strengthen her case and doubtlessly transfer her forward of Dumornay within the rankings. Putellas, regardless of not scoring within the last, additionally stays a powerful favourite after serving to Barcelona seize one other European title.
Dumornay struggled to affect the match whereas taking part in in a deeper midfield position, going through tight marking all through.
“Once you’re taking part in an enormous recreation like this, even in the event you’re dropping, lose like a participant who’s on a mission,” Wendy Falaise commented on Facebook. “I used to be rooting for you, and I’m very unhappy. Nevertheless it’s not the top of the world.”
Longtime sports activities analyst and former soccer coach, ex-Haitian Senator Patrice Dumont, additionally defended Dumornay after the loss, noting Barcelona’s tactical deal with neutralizing her.
“I’ve by no means seen Melchie so restricted in a recreation,” Dumont wrote in a prolonged Facebook analysis.
“Barcelona minimize all of the connections between Melchie and her teammates. Decidedly, a day of nice unhappiness for the best Haitian footballer of all generations.”
Nonetheless, Dumont mentioned the defeat mustn’t erase her Ballon d’Or candidacy.
“This loss doesn’t imply the top of our Ballon d’Or goals,” he mentioned.
Dumornay’s strongest season but
Regardless of the setback, Dumornay has loved the very best membership season of her profession.
Final yr, she completed 18th within the Ballon d’Or rankings after OL Lyonnes received solely the home league and Haiti performed restricted worldwide matches. Many Haitian followers argued she deserved a better end after profitable a number of particular person honors, together with Concacaf Girls’s Participant of the 12 months and UEFA Girls’s Champions League Younger Participant of the Season.
This season, Dumornay helped OL Lyonnes win the Coupe de France Féminine and the Coupe LFFP whereas reaching the finals of each the Girls’s Champions League and France’s Arkema Première Ligue (previously D1 Arkema). The French top-tier ladies’s soccer league last, which Dumornay’s membership is favored to win, is scheduled for Could 29 in opposition to Paris Soccer Membership.
“Decidedly, a day of nice unhappiness for the best Haitian footballer of all generations. However this loss doesn’t imply the top of our Ballon d’Or goals.”
Ex Sen. Patrice Dumont, sports activities analyst and former coach
Individually, she has collected a number of main honors, together with Finest Participant in France’s Arkema Première Ligue, the Nationwide Union of Skilled Soccer’s high participant award and The Athletic’s European Women’s Player of the Season recognition.
“The dream ended within the last,” mentioned Nathalie Antoine, a Footkole sports activities reporter primarily based in Florida also called Nhalie. “I’m disillusioned as a result of we needed this title to crown Melchie’s unimaginable season.”
Followers urge OL Lyonnes to strengthen roster
Some Haitian supporters additionally criticized OL Lyonnes’ squad depth and ending capacity, saying the French membership wants reinforcements to compete constantly with Barcelona, which has now reached six consecutive Girls’s Champions League finals and received 4 of them.
“Their attackers should not as scientific as Barcelona’s forwards,” Jérôme mentioned. “They should strengthen the roster.”
Now, Dumornay and OL Lyonnes nonetheless have another alternative to shut the season with a title once they face Paris FC within the Première Ligue last this coming Friday — one other match that would affect the Ballon d’Or race.
The put up Haitians say Dumornay nonetheless deserves Ballon d’Or podium regardless of Champions League loss appeared first on The Haitian Occasions.