Lyon Furious After Paris FC’s Stunning Comeback Victory

This could have been a turning point for Lyon this Wednesday evening against Paris FC. Following PSG’s disappointing result against Lorient, OL had a great opportunity to improve their standings with a win over PFC. At one point, it seemed everything was in Lyon’s favor. Corentin Tolisso, in excellent form recently, quickly put his team ahead. His striker-like goal positioned OL well in the standings, especially as Marseille trailed against Angers at the Vélodrome. It was the perfect scenario to potentially equal PSG at the top of the league.

Leading at halftime, OL surely recognized the opportunity to climb the rankings. After the break, the star striker Pavel Sulc scored two goals, extending Lyon’s lead to 3-0. Everything seemed perfect. However, the game turned after Abner was sent off. Paris FC managed to score a first goal, but it looked like fortune still favored OL when De Smet was also given a red card, resulting in a 10 vs 10 situation. Yet, as has been the case for Lyon recently, misfortunes struck, and they conceded two more goals, ending in a 3-3 draw—a frustrating outcome for Lyon, who missed a golden opportunity, especially since Marseille also drew against Angers in the final minutes (2-2).

Lyon Reflects on Missed Opportunity

“We’re frustrated and very upset. That’s our immediate reaction. Why? I don’t know if I had the answer, it wouldn’t have happened… We need to find a solution very quickly. Yes, there were red cards, but we have no excuse because it was 10 vs 10. We must correct our mistakes as we managed to secure important points in matches against teams like Strasbourg, Lille, Lens, and Marseille, but we’re dropping points like this… They played well, and they deserved their goals. But when you’re leading 3-0, you simply cannot let that happen,” said Moussa Niakhaté in the mixed zone. Clinton Mata echoed similar sentiments.

“I have no explanations. It’s tough. We had the game in control at 3-0; we should have managed it better. We should never allow the opponent to come back to 3-3. It’s inexcusable—it’s shameful! We need to take responsibility and have serious discussions. We will talk about it this week,” the Angolan defender stated on OL TV. The situation is bitter for Lyon; logically so. With this draw, OL sits in 5th place in the standings, failing to capitalize on the slip-ups of competitors. Paulo Fonseca must be reflecting, as he was seen in the stadium corridors engaged in a long discussion with club president Michèle Kang. They must avoid repeating past mistakes.