Lyon – Olympiakos: a player makes a thunderous return

Lyon logically won 2-0 against the Greek club Olympiakos Piraeus on Thursday at the Groupama stadium, in a match of the first day of the Europa League and thus successfully returned to the European scene.

A victory was needed to reassure themselves. Lyon did so by winning against Olympiakos on Thursday evening, for their entry into the Europa League. In a ranking that includes 36 clubs, OL is thus directly in the first half (7th) and will try to confirm away on October 3 in Glasgow against Rangers (5th), winners of the Swedish Malmöouml; (2-0).

Already a scorer on Sunday against Marseille despite the 3-2 defeat, Cherki, served by Ainsley Maitland-Niles, opened the scoring with a powerful shot despite a tight angle (65). The young player (21 years old) is making a thunderous return to the Lyon team after being sidelined this summer. awaiting a transfer to Paris Saint-Germain, Dortmund or Fulham that never materialized.

Shortly after his goal, he was replaced by Saïd Benrahma who made it 2-0 after a pass from Wilfried Zaha, a last-minute signing in the transfer window who entered at the same time as the Algerian international (65). The two players as well as the American Tanner Tessmann had been waiting, however, for several minutes on the sidelines when Cherki scored.

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Olympiakos harmless, Lacazette hits the post

Apart from Rodinei's shot in the first half, the Greek team was only dangerous on an action by Roman Yaremchuk blocked in extremis by Duje Caleta-Car (49) who scored an own goal on a cross from Willian, a goal disallowed for offside (89).

OL had left the C3 on April 14, 2022 with a 3-0 home defeat against the English team West Ham in the quarter-final second leg of the event concluded on incidents caused by the Lyon ultras which earned the Rhone club to be sanctioned with a closed-door match in its north and south bends.

Thus, only 24,414 spectators were present in the stadium to see Lyon dominate a low-level Greek team against which Pierre Sage's men still struggled throughout a soporific first period marked by numerous approximations on both sides.

During this period, the two goalkeepers saved their camp in front of Corentin Tolisso for Kostas Tzolakis (26) and Rodinei for Lucas Perri (32). After half-time, OL nevertheless showed themselves to be much more dynamic and created several chances. A shot from Alexandre Lacazette, still looking for his first goal this season, notably hit the post (48). David Carmo missed scoring an own goal (52) while Ernest Nuamah was blocked by Lorenzo Pirola (59). Tzolakis saved his team twice again in front of Tolisso (59, 64).

It is therefore a deserved success for OL who win for the second time this season after having won against Strasbourg (4-3) in the French championship in which Lyon (14th) has already also lost three times for a draw. OL will have to confirm Toulouse Sunday in Ligue 1 to find out if its season is finally really launched.

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