At the end of an unbreathable end to the match, Rayan Cherki offered OL the equalizer at the end of added time against a pale Manchester United team (2-2), Thursday April 10 in the quarter-final first leg of the Europa League at Groupama Stadium in Décines, thus preserving its chances of qualifying in a week in England.
A drop in pace at the end of each period cost Lyon dearly, dominating a Mancunian team that was not very spirited throughout the game, but miraculously returned to the locker room on an equal footing thanks to French defender Leny Yoro, already in added time in the first act (45+5), and who thought they would win after a counter-attack concluded by Joshua Zirkzee just before that of the second (88th).
For Manchester, the plan was almost perfect. After an avoidable foul by Moussa Niakhaté on Alejandro Garnacho, Lucas Perri, the Lyon goalkeeper, poorly repelled the direct free kick from Bruno Fernandes, the Mancunian captain. The ball was volleyed by Manuel Ugarte at the edge of the area, and deflected with a header by Yoro (1-1).
In the 88th minute, while Lyon multiplied the blunders in front of André Onana’s goal, Zirkzee beat Clinton Mata on a cross to the far post from Bruno Fernandes, thus thinking he had achieved the perfect hold-up (2-1).
An unfair scenario for Lyon, who had the ball and animated the debates, without however creating a real clear opportunity. But the very last one was the right one.
Ryan Cherki as a providential man
Lyon captain Corentin Tolisso (left) and Manchester United French defender Leny Yoro (right) during the Europa League quarter-final first leg on April 10, 2025 in Décines-Charpieu, near Lyon. © Olivier Chassignole, AFP
After a strike from Georges Mikautadze was repelled by Onana, Cherki sprang to slide the ball into the goal with his left foot (2-2, 90+5) and brought joy to a stadium still stunned by the goal of the Dutchman from Manchester.
OL are alive and retain their chances of qualifying, but will have to be much more effective in front of the opposing goal next Thursday at Old Trafford if they want to reach the semi-finals.
Lyon also owes the opening score to…. André Onana, the Cameroonian goalkeeper of Manchester United, great host of the pre-match after his verbal joust with Nemanja Matic.
Onana will bitterly regret having thought after the derby against Manchester City last weekend that his team was “better” than Lyon.
A judgment not really shared by the Serbian defender of OL, formerly of Manchester United who retorted: “when you are statistically one of the worst goalkeepers at Manchester United, you have to be careful what you say”.
Jeered by the entire stadium at the kick-off and each time he took the ball, the Cameroonian was surprised by a free kick on the left side, 25 meters away, hit directly by Thiago Almada (1-0, 25th).
It was therefore an opposing blunder that Lyon found the alternative to its offensive ineffectiveness on Thursday.
Also readChampions League: Désiré Doué’s PSG dominates Aston Villa and approaches the semi-finals
Neither Rayan Cherki nor Georges Mikautadze, very effective during OL’s last outings, were able to deceive Onana a second time.
The return at the start of the second half of Alexandre Lacazette in place of defender Paul Akouokou, exhausted, and the attacks of Corentin Tolisso did nothing either.
Until the outburst of Cherki, decidedly the providential man of Lyon in recent times.
With AFP
