Lyon 2-0 RB Leipzig
It’s hard to know who to focus on after a result like this.
Of course, Lyon should take the plaudits as this was a perfect way to bounce back in Group G and take control of their own Champions League destiny.
Abetted by some wasteful finishing, there was still much to admire in the visitors’ performance as they ended a seven-game winless run.
Yet RB Leipzig, who won impressively at Benfica in their opener, must be frustrated after controlling long spells of this contest only to come away empty handed.
The Champions League news tonight is that results don’t always tell the full story of a match.
Highlights of the game
In what was a first ever clash between the clubs, Memphis Depay and Martin Terrier scored the goals to give Olympique Lyonnais a much-needed three points and ease some of the pressure on head coach, former Arsenal full-back Sylvinho.
Lyon had not won a game since a 6-0 thrashing of Angers in Ligue 1 in mid-August so this was most welcome.
Early on, the in-form Timo Werner spurned a great early chance to score for the hosts when he met Lukas Klostermann’s low cross only for his finishing to let him down as he guided the ball wide.
Lyon promptly capitalised on the miss and took the lead thanks to a piece of opportunism from ex-Man Utd man Depay just 11 minutes in.
Houssem Aouar gained possession and Depay took the ball off his team-mate’s toe, striding forward and clinically sending a low shot past Peter Gulacsi.
It was to prove their only effort on target of the half.
Just before the half hour mark, the promising Werner skipped clear of the visitors’ defence but spooned his shot over the bar with only goalkeeper Anthony Lopes to beat.
Lyon hung on for the remainder of the half and required an audacious backheeled flick off the line by Marcelo from Yussuf Poulsen’s header to prevent the home side from equalising, while Marcel Halstenburg also forced a strong save out of Lopes with a stinging shot from distance.
Their failure to break through was punished, however, when Martin Terrier doubled Lyon’s advantage midway through the second half.
Sloppy defensive play from substitute Nordi Mukiele was capitalised on by Terrier who stole in and shot low into the bottom corner.
It was only their second effort on target and they were 2-0 up.
That’s how it stayed as Lyon ruthlessly exploited defensive sloppiness from the Bundesliga side.
This SBOBET writer had predicted goals and I got it wrong again!
Yet if Werner and Co had their shooting boots on my suggested Champions League betting odds would have led to a nice payday for those who backed me.
Most of you probably know better.
The win puts Lyon second in the group on four points, behind Zenit St Petersburg, who beat bottom side Benfica 3-1 at home, on goal difference. Leipzig are third on three points.
Key statistics
Depay has been involved in six of Lyon’s last nine Champions League goals (three goals, three assists).
His goal was the earliest Lyon have scored in the competition since Jordan Ferri’s strike against Gent in November 2015, which arrived in the seventh minute.
Leipzig’s last seven matches in the Champions League have now alternated between a defeat and a victory.
Lyon have scored at least once in each of their last seven away games in the Champions League (11 goals), last failing to score in September 2016 against Sevilla.
This was just the second time in 10 games Leipzig have failed to score on home soil in European competition.
Since the start of last season, Aouar has provided four assists in the Champions League for Lyon. No OL player has assisted more goals in the competition during this period (Depay also with four).
Werner has five goals in seven career Champions League appearances, three more than any other player for Leipzig.
Coach Julian Nagelsmann faced Lyon twice last season while in charge of Hoffenheim, drawing 3-3 in France before a 2-2 draw at home.
Leipzig have faced French opposition six times in their short European history, which is more than any other nation.
What’s next?
Leipzig return to Bundesliga action with an away trip to fellow Champions League qualifiers Bayer Leverkusen on Saturday and host Zenit St Petersburg next in this group on October 23.
Lyon are also on the road domestically as they travel to Saint Etienne on Sunday in Lique 1, with Benfica their next opponents in Europe.
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