Emma Hayes said she had no criticism of her players after their home draw with the holders Lyon in the Champions League semi-final and called on Uefa to expand the number of teams admitted to the competition. “I can’t be critical,” said the Chelsea manager. “My players have run their socks off for me today, they really have. They’ve been brilliant and I’m proud of them.

“I just think as the competition keeps progressing it really is time for the top countries in Europe to have three teams in the tournament – that’s not just England, the same could be said of Spain, France, Germany. I think the quality is now there for Uefa to review that.”

Chelsea v Lyon: Women's Champions League semi-final, second leg – as it happened Read more

Chelsea will not play in the Champions League next season as they are already confirmed as finishing outside the top two in the Women’s Super League.

The Lyon manager, Reynald Pedros, expressed similar sentiments. “Do you know what?” he said. “I’m surprised Chelsea are going to finish third in their own domestic league and they are not going to be able to play Champions League football next season. Yet there they were, a whisker away from getting to the Champions League final.”

A third own goal in three games gave the French champions the away goal they needed before a Ji So-yun free-kick ensured a draw in front of a sellout 4,670 crowd. But, though Chelsea battled, they could not get the goal that would take the game to extra time against a Lyon team who, much like in the first leg, never really seemed like they got out of second gear.

Hayes, though, was critical of something. Moments after the French club took the lead the crowd screamed for handball in the area as the ball bounced off the foot of [Lyon’s] Lucy Bronze on to an outstretched arm, but the referee ignored the appeals. “It may sound like sour grapes but you really want good officials in big games,” she added. “If you get a 50/50 moment that looks like a penalty with a handball, you’ve seen it in the men’s game in the Champions League, if hands are outside what they consider a natural position it’s a penalty. I just don’t think she managed and controlled the game, I thought she was scared of them. I didn’t think she was in control for both teams to be fair, I think she struggled.”

Just 17 minutes in Lyon had the away goal that cancelled out Erin Cuthbert’s first-leg volley. Delphine Cascarino collected a long ball from Griedge M’Bock and cut it back for Ada Hegerberg. The Ballon d’Or winner, under pressure, poked the ball towards Eugénie Le Sommer and the Frenchwoman’s shot deflected off Maren Mjelde and slipped under Ann-Katrin Berger’s outstretched hands.

With half an hour gone Chelsea had their first real sniff and they made it count. Ji and Fran Kirby broke at pace on the right, before the South Korean beat Wendie Renard and swung the ball across the front of goal. Karen Carney left it for Cuthbert who collected but she was brought down before she could shoot– just outside the box, according to the referee, Sara Persson.

In or out, it did not matter. Ji stepped up and her free-kick from inside the D floated delightfully over the wall and to the right of Sarah Bouhaddi.

After the interval Chelsea continued to search for the goal they needed to level the tie.

Lyon initially looked untroubled by the pressure, Renard – who matched Camille Abily’s 81-game Champions League appearance record – and M’Bock playing with an almost casual swagger.

But in the 56th minute Chelsea looked to be getting close. First Kirby beat Renard on the left before slipping a low cross to Ramona Bachmann but her side-footed effort rebounded off Amel Majri’s leg.

Then Cuthbert picked out Carney on the same side, and she sidestepped Bronze before curling the ball against the far post. “You’ve just gone toe for toe, you’ve made them look average,” Hayes told her players at full time. “Lyon’s seven-year dominance is massively threatened and the rest of European football has come alive. It’s the start of a new era in the women’s game. I just would have liked to have put the nail in their coffin today.

“I’m not sure they could have done anything else, to be honest. They’re exhausted, mentally, physically, just didn’t quite get that rub of the green when they needed it.”

Tellingly, Lyon were also exhausted at the final whistle, the players falling to their knees. “We showed our mental strength today,” said Pedros. “It’s not very often when Lyon come of the field worn out both physically and mentally. We’re used to dominating sides and in some instances being head and shoulders above the competition.

“Today that wasn’t the case, we are worn out, very, very tired. And I think that’s good, it shows the game is getting more even but it’s good for us too, it brings out other qualities, other strengths and other virtues, such as fighting spirit, mental strength, a combative attitude and you only get that when you’re put in these positions.”