Overview:
Haitian soccer superstar Melchie Daëlle “Corventina Dumornay has made history as the first Haitian soccer player to reach a European Champions League final. Her two goals and two assists were instrumental in Lyon's semifinal victory over PSG, securing their place in the final against Barcelona.
PORT-AU-PRINCE— Haitian international soccer star Melchie Daëlle “Corventina” Dumornay made history Sunday as the first Haitian player to reach a UEFA Champions League final, Europe’s most prestigious club competition. She demonstrated her exceptional talent by leading her team, Olympique Lyonnais (OL), to the Women’s Champions League final for the 2023-2024 season.
“We are very happy. We started the game the way we wanted to,” said the Haitian international sensation told UEFA.com, after her team’s victory over Paris Saint-Germain 5-3 on aggregate. “We also wanted to do better than in the first leg previously played at home where we went down 2-0.”
Corventina can add more prominence to her already legendary career if she becomes the first Haitian soccer (football) player to win the European Women’s Champions League title.
“I am very happy because this will be my first Women’s Champions League final,” the player added. I feel honored to be part of this team, and I hope we will go as far as possible.”
Author of a wonder goal to bring the tie level to 2-2 and an exquisite assist for Lyon’s winning goal (3-2) in the first leg against PSG on April 21, Corventina was once again decisive for her club in the return leg.
She assisted fullback Selma Bacha for Lyon’s first goal in the 3rd minute of the second leg, catching the PSG keeper unawares and drilling a low shot into the bottom right corner. PSG struck back through striker Tabitha Chawinga in the 41st minute. However, the Haitian star showed her class by slotting home the winning goal (81’). Lyon superbly dominated PSG in their all-French UEFA women’s Champions League semifinal.
In sensational form and decisive in both semifinal legs against PSG, Corventina gave her club the qualifying ticket for the final showdown against Barcelona, which overturned a 1-0 first-leg deficit by winning 2-0 away to Chelsea. The final will be played at San Mamés Stadium in Bilbao, northern Spain on Saturday 25 May.
Video highlights of Dumornay’s MVP performance against PSG
Dumornay played a significant role in Lyon’s victory over PSG in the semi-finals. She contributed to four of the five goals scored across the two matches, with two goals and two assists, showcasing her immense talent. Despite recently returning from an injury, Corventina’s talent and determination have continued to impress on the world stage.
Due to her outstanding performances, she was named the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the match in both semifinal games. She was also awarded the title of European Player of the Week, and her goal in the first leg was voted Best Goal of the Week.
The Haitian Football Federation (FHF) celebrated Corventina on its Facebook page, describing her as a Haitian star on European fields. The Federation emphasized her crucial contribution to her club’s pursuit of titles in France and Europe and expressed enthusiasm for following her journey on the world scene.
Olympique Lyonnais, the most successful team in the Women’s Champions League with eight titles, including five consecutive wins from 2016 to 2020, will seek their ninth European club championship title. In what promises to be an electrifying finale between two dominant forces in European women’s soccer, they will face FC Barcelona in May. FC Barcelona, the reigning champion, will also be vying to retain their European champion title and win their third Champions League.
Corventina and her teammates must bring their best game to the final, especially after overcoming Paris Saint-Germain, one of France’s top teams, in the semifinals. However, the team’s fate is in their own hands, and Corventina has the opportunity to make more history in Haitian soccer.
Before Dumornay, only four Haitians had ever played in the European Champions League’s final stages, but none made it to the final. These players were all men, including Wagneau Eloi with French clubs RC Lens and AS Monaco, Réginal Goreux with Belgian club Standard de Liège, Wild Donald Guerrier with the Azerbaijan Premier League club Qarabag FK and Frantzdy Pierrot with Maccabi Haifa in Israel.