Having closed the January transfer window as Europe’s highest-spending side, Lyon were keen to kick-start their season revival in a high-stakes Olympico clash against Marseille on Sunday night. Up against a short-handed and stuttering Marseille side – Gattuso’s men had drawn their previous three fixtures, there was an opportunity for Les Gones to grab a statement win.
Amine Harit’s effort straight from kick-off set the tone for a feverish first half – Anthony Lopes saved from being lobbed within seconds only by his crossbar. While the debutant Nemanja Matić was an assured presence in the Lyon midfield, the opening exchanges nevertheless saw both sides look to stamp their physical authority on the game.
The hosts’ counter-attacking prowess drew the best chances of the half, though, with Ernest Nuamah’s driving runs down the right proving particularly difficult for Marseille to handle. It was a cross from the Ghanaian which led to the goalmouth scramble that saw Lyon break the deadlock just before the break, with Lacazette reacting quickest to the loose ball while on the ground to score.
The second half following a mostly similar pattern, with Marseille scarcely putting a dent in the hosts’ defence until the final 20 minutes. Gattuso’s men would come closest to equalising through Aubameyang, who beat Lopes after playing a one-two with Moumbagna, only for Maitland-Niles to rush in behind to clear the shot off the line.
Although they will have hoped to wrap up the result earlier on – Nuamah notably squandered a one-on-one late in the match – tonight’s return to winning ways is a sign that Pierre Sage has the team on the right track. For his Italian counterpart, though, the outlook is decidedly different after three winless
Read on m.allfootballapp.com