MIAMI. -With two goals and three assists in only five appearances, the Haitan forward Melchie Dumornay was named the Young Player of the 2023-2024 UWCL season
Haiti forward Melchie Dumornay was one of three top players from Concacaf who took the pitch in the UEFA Women’s Champions League Final as Olympique Lyonnais and FC Barcelona met on Saturday at the San Mames Stadium in Bilbao, Spain.
Canada defender Vanessa Gilles, U.S. midfielder Lindsey Horan, along with Dumornay, were among those in Lyon's starting lineup. The French side finished runners-up, as Barcelona triumphed 2-nil in front of a UWCL Final record crowd of 50,827 attendees.
The 20-year-old was a force to be reckoned with in the early minutes of the encounter, frustrating FC Barcelona's defensive line with her contributions to Lyon’s 13 scoring chances on the day.
Dumornay is no stranger to pressure in the big games. She also shined in the semifinals against national rivals Paris Saint-Germain, where she was named Player of the Match in back-to-back encounters. She rose to the occasion, scoring in both legs to give Lyon the goal they needed to reach a tournament record 11th UWCL Final.
🇭🇹 Melchie Dumornay is named the 2023/24 #UWCL Young Player of the Season, as chosen by UEFA's Technical Observer panel 🤩
— UEFA Women’s Champions League (@UWCL) May 27, 2024
Ready in the area to receive a pass from captain Wendie Renard, Dumornay didn’t hesitate to shoot the goal in the top right corner to equalize in the 85’ of the first leg. It was an astonishing goal listed among the top 10 best goals of the season.
She also assisted the victory goal to take a 3-2 advantage in the opening match, away at Paris. In the second leg, she assisted Selma Bacha for a lead within the first two minutes of the match. She scored in the 81’ to seal the trip to the final and the 5-3 win on aggregate.
Finishing the tournament with a silver medal, Dumornay closed her season with two goals and three assists in five appearances. Her performances didn’t go unnoticed, and the UEFA Technical Observer panel named her the 2023/24 UEFA Women's Champions League Young Player of the Season.
Her story with Olympique Lyonnais is just beginning, but Dumornay is already writing her legacy in her historic first season with the eight-time UWCL Champions. With a league title in her first year, the Concacaf rising star will look to challenge for more silverware in her second season in France.
