Lyon returned to continental action, after miraculously qualifying for the Europa League last season, with a visit from UEFA Europa Conference League winners Olympiacos. Les Gones were hoping for better fortunes after a disappointing late defeat to Marseille last time out in domestic action.
Lacazette had the first effort of the match for the home team but the skipper’s effort was well wide from distance. OL were the dominant team in the early stages of the match and pressed for an opener but were thwarted well by the Greek side.
Rodinei was the first player to test Perri for the visitors after the 30th minute with a powerful effort from distance but the Brazilian stopper was able to turn it around the post for a corner. Despite dominating possession, Lyon looked fragmented at the top end of the pitch and fragile in the defensive third of the pitch. It remained goalless at the break.
OL started the second half with real positivity and energy as they searched for the match’s opening goal. Lacazette came extremely close to doing so as he struck the post from distance. Olympiacos still proved to be a threat though and Yaremchuk almost made Lyon pay for their defensive fragility but OL managed to turn it away.
Tolisso almost provided the breakthrough with a header from Cherki’s corner but Tzolakis was able to deny the midfielder. The visitors then went up the other end with Rodinei finding El Kaabi but the forward couldn’t divert his lunging effort goalwards. Lacazette picked out Tolisso for the best chance of the game at the far post but once again the Frenchman couldn’t beat the Olympiacos stopper.
After 65 minutes, Les Gones finally found a breakthrough. Maitland-Niles found Cherki in a crowded penalty area and the France U21 international did brilliantly to find space and evade three markers before smashing the ball into the roof of the net. A deserved lead for the hosts.
Benrahma quickly doubled Lyon’s lead after Zaha played the Algerian in behind and the former West Ham winger calmly slotted the ball home with the outside of his boot. The substitutes combined with their first touches of the ball. Olympiacos thought they had gained a way back into the game after Ćaleta-Car turned Willian’s cross into his own goal without pressure but the former Chelsea winger was adjudged to be offside.
Surviving any potential late scares, Lyon secured their first three points of the UEFA Europa League league phase thanks to goals from Cherki and Benrahma.
Lyon player ratings:
Lucas Perri – 5
The stopper looked like a vulnerable figure between the posts for OL especially with the ball at his feet after his mistake against Marseille. Dependable when shots came his way without any real danger on his goal, a clean sheet should provide the Brazilian with some confidence.
Ainsley Maitland-Niles – 5
Duje Ćaleta-Car – 5
Clinton Mata – 4
Nicolás Tagliafico – 5
Nemanja Matić – 4
Corentin Tolisso – 6
Ernest Nuamah – 5
Rayan Cherki – 7
Creatively, the attacking midfielder was involved in most of OL’s positive play in the first half. After finding his way back into the team, the Frenchman looks to be playing with real intent and confidence – this was displayed in the manner he took his goal.
Malick Fofana – 5
Alexandre Lacazette – 4
In attack, Lyon looked disjointed for the first half and this resulted in the captain having a rather miserable night. Besides hitting the post with a deflected effort, the forward struggled to influence things in attack and the wait for his first goal of the season continues.
