PLAYER RATINGS | Nantes 1 -3 Lyon: Super-subs complete the comeback for OL and move them into European contention

Ligue 1’s Sunday night offering offered lockdown football flashbacks as no fans were in attendance for the match between Nantes and Lyon at the Stade de la Beaujoire. Both teams were looking to maintain momentum after securing victories in their last matches. 

It was Nantes who created the first stirring of noise in what was the echoing chasm of the Stade de la Beaujoire by scoring the match’s opening goal. Matthis Abline met Florent Mollet’s early cross in the area by escaping Ćaleta-Car easily and expertly heading the ball beyond Lopes in the Lyon goal. Nantes hit the front against the run of the play. Despite being the dominant force for most of the first half, OL found themselves behind at the break. 

Lyon continued to struggle to gain any advantage in the match after the resumption of the match. Nantes seemed to take initiative after the break with some positive chances but failed to double their lead. With the clock ticking down, Lacazette, like in previous matches, once again found a way to drag Lyon level. Lafont did brilliantly to parry away two shots from Benrahma and Fofana in quick succession but the former’s shot was parried into the path of the OL captain who made it third time lucky for Lyon with his effort. 

Malick Fofana was subbed on in the second half and within the space of two minutes he had made an instant impact. It was his shot which was parried into the path of Lacazette to level the game and then just two minutes later with his second shot, the winger gave Lyon the lead. Some brilliant work from Cherki allowed Maitland-Niles to release the ball to the Belgian, who hit his shot first time and gave Lafont no chance as his effort nestled into the bottom corner. 

Gift Orban got involved for his first