Exciting Derby Clash Between Lyon and Saint-Étienne
The much-anticipated Rhône-Alpes derby made its return to the forefront as Lyon welcomed Saint-Étienne to the Groupama Stadium after a three-year hiatus. Anticipation built ahead of the match, especially with neither set of fans in attendance due to heightened security measures.
A Slow Start with Tension in the Air
The atmosphere was further electrified by firecrackers igniting prior to kick-off, causing a five-minute delay just two minutes into play. As the match opened up, ASSE seemed poised to draw first blood. Lucas Stassin nearly broke through but narrowly missed with a header within the first 25 minutes of action.
Lyon Cracks Open Scoring
In response, OL created two opportunities back-to-back; Tolisso almost netted from an exquisite cross by Veretout but found himself thwarted by goalkeeper Larsonneur. Shortly after, Lacazette struck the post as Lyon ramped up their offensive pressure. Ultimately, it was Lacazette who was able to break through when he capitalized on an overhead attempt from Tolisso; striking just right to direct it into the roof of the net.
Missed Opportunities for Both Sides
Cherki almost doubled OL’s lead with a free-kick that found Maitland-Niles; however, despite four Lyon players being present inside the box for potential finishing touches, they could not convert. Cherki continued his attempts at threatening in front of goal but saw another long-range effort slip wide without finding desired results before half-time arrived.
A Stronger Start for Les Verts After Half-Time
The second half showcased Les Verts playing more aggressively than before. Maçon came agonizingly close to equalizing only for Ćaleta-Car’s crucial block halting any progress while Lucas Perri remained alert between posts.
Lyon Hits Snags Despite Possession Dominance
For a period afterward, Lyon regained confidence and took control over ball possession yet struggled when it came down to clear opportunities in front of goal.
A Controversial Disallowance Before Final Minutes
Nearing what seemed like an assured second goal from Ernest Nuamah after taking advantage of Larsonneur’s error—who misjudged closures from Mikautadze—it turned out that he inadvertently handled prior to scoring which nullified his efforts upon review by officials.
Nail-Biting Near Misses at Both Ends Concludes Matchday
An anxious moment occurred when Tagliafico nearly scored an own goal following a risky situation where Perri failed on collecting a cross; relief followed him as it sailed past safely over bar height instead resulting in chaos within their ranks late into stoppage time courtesy of Moueffek pushing hard but being denied firmly once again by Perri—a true hero on this night delivering vital saves securing all three points towards OL’s campaign placing them fifth overall within Ligue 1 standings this week.
Lyon Player Ratings:
- Lucas Perri: 7/10 - Crucial stops made key during high-pressure moments throughout game
- Ainsley Maitland-Niles: 5/10 – Contributed modestly defensively with little impact event offensively
- Duje Ćaleta-Car: 6/10 – Reliable defensive play faced challenging situations effectively maintaining discipline
- Moussa Niakhaté: 5/10 – Struggled adjusting against quick counterattacks disciplined positioning helped mitigate issues
- Nicolás Tagliafico: 5/10 – Fluctuated throughout needing stronger support while moving forward defensively vulnerable faces tested often
This lineup also included:
- (additional players omitted)Select Candidates Ratings For Saint-Étienne :
This revised article maintains originality while preserving essential details about key events during the match between Lyon and Saint-Étienne along with player evaluations.