At OL Park,
If there is one disillusion against which even the most pessimistic supporters of Olympique Lyonnais thought they were immune, this season again, it was this one. However, for the first time since the 2007-2008 season, OM’s status as a pet peeve, particularly at Gerland then at Parc OL, just shattered on Sunday. Laurent Blanc’s men have indeed lost their first Olympico at home (1-2) for more than fifteen years, after having already lost the first leg (1-0). As long as they were, they were unhappy/ridiculous (it depends) like never before on three unusual game facts that 20 minutes decrypts you, with screenshots and reactions to support.
- 44th minute of play, free kick in favor of Diomande
A past master in the art of putting themselves in danger following corners… in their favor for several seasons, OL brilliantly varied the pleasures on Sunday by adapting this tactic to innocuous free kicks obtained near the center line. One minute from half-time, all the signs point to a fairly logical score of 0-0 at the break, when Sinaly Diomande, about 45m from Pau Lopez’s goal, wants to pass the ball to Alexandre’s feet Lacazette. Slight concern: his captain, for his part, launched an in-depth call.
Samuel Gigot made the quietest interception of his career and immediately served Jonathan Clauss, whose perfect opening for Alexis Sanchez blasted the Lyon defense. “When there is only one minute left, it is not possible to lose a ball as easily as that”, enrages Dejan Lovren, who did not really do everything to catch up with Diomande’s ball. The Croatian international covers Alexis Sanchez at the start of this counter-attack then he completely stops his “race” when Anthony Lopes pushes back the Chilean’s attempt. Cengiz Under follows the case and concludes in the empty goal (0-1, 44th). The galley/burlesque evening of the Lyonnais is officially launched at Parc OL.
- 86th minute of play, Gusto has the match point at the penalty spot
We had almost recorded that the four-month loan to OL included in the juicy sale of Malo Gusto to (these pigeons from) Chelsea, during the last winter transfer window, was a media delirium that never existed IRL. Except that in the 80th minute of play on Sunday, the side with mats and a headband crowds a football pitch for the first time since February 8 and a mysterious hamstring injury treated partly in London. A money time of Olympico to find rhythm then? “I wanted to defend my defense a little on the right side with Malo, pleaded Laurent Blanc at the microphone of Free Ligue 1. And I’m sorry, he has the match point. »
That is undeniable: the disconcerting Jeffinho, who also came into play in the 80th minute, enjoys the area, fixes Leo Balerdi as he pleases, and shifts the neo-Blue, arch alone at the penalty spot and on the point of to offer his training club the win, and a tied sixth place just three points from the Europa League Conference. But there, the pschitt effect is comparable to the attempt to Kylian Mbappe vs Manuel Neuer in the C1 final in Lisbon (yes yes, let’s assume our comparison). Malo Gusto (0 goal in 58 pro matches with OL) signs a flat foot (not safe) with confusing softness, directly into the gloves of a Pau Lopez who is very happy with the offering (1-1, 86th ). The second Kiss Cool effect of the Décines air conditioning is then in preparation.
- 90th + 2, Kaboré lets go of a failed cross that three Lyonnais take over, except that…
There remained exactly 21 seconds to play in the additional time of this Olympico a priori without a winner, when Pau Lopez sends his six meters without conviction in the sky of Decinois. Visibly decided to dissect us his evening of the loseLolo White told us in a press conference the state of mind in which he was then.
” I have the fourth referee next to me and I ask him how much time is left to play. He answers me thirty seconds. That 1-1 draw was the result that in my opinion summed up the match. When I see that the Marseille goalkeeper does not dare to start from behind so as not to take any risks, I tell myself that it will signal the end of the match. We will definitely get the ball back, as my defenders are bigger than the Marseille attackers. And I don’t know what we’re doing, we both get in the way, and no, we don’t take this ball, that’s how it is… »
40m from their goal Corentin Tolisso and Sinaly Diomande get in the way of each other as they score on the fallout of Pau Lopez’s clearance the only Alexis Sanchez (1.69 m, it should be remembered). We see Tolisso complaining, probably because he does not know that it is his partner who pushed him in the air. We are therefore witnessing the first involuntary pass and back of a long series of blunders on the OL side. The ball benefits Vitinha, who then leaves Alexis Sanchez to take hold of. The former Inter striker shifts to the right Issa Kaboré. There, its very average center leads to an action almost worthy of the legendary own goal by Marçal at the Parc des Princes in February 2020.
Imagine the sketch, when there are no less than eight Lyonnais in the area, against only four Marseilles: Johann Lepenant deflects with the shin which becomes a hot potato for Sinaly Diomande at the far post. The Ivorian defender in turn completely unscrews his intervention, which spins on the knee of poor Malo Gusto (19), author of his second csc in Ligue 1 (1-2, 90th + 2), after a Bordeaux-OL (2- 2) last season. A surreal outcome, since Jérôme Brisard whistles the end of the meeting in stride. Alexandre Lacazette points to a “lack of communication” on this action validated by “Le Foot en Folie”. “It hurts this one, continues the Lyon captain. To take this goal like that at the end, it’s infuriating. »
“We are not concentrated until the end, regrets Dejan Lovren. We made two or three unacceptable mistakes, and we gave those goals in the last minutes of each half. “Gifts which Igor Tudor’s men perfectly seized. “Did it fall from the sky? Is it fate? Sometimes, we have no control over what happens in a football match”, slips the Croatian coach of OM (again 2nd in Ligue 1), fulfilled as rarely by the scenario of this decisive success in the race for the Champions League.
Opposite, Laurent Blanc’s speech was obviously quite different: “It’s indescribable the disappointment you can have in a match like this, when you deserve to take a point. We didn’t exactly do everything right until the last second and it’s going to stick in our heads. “We want to believe it, as this “billiard shot” (dixit Valentin Rongier) can smash you in a final sprint. While we can only strongly advise you to watch the video summary of the meeting above, the final word is for Dejan Lovren: “It’s shit, huh? »