In a game of two halves, Olympique Lyonnais produced a stunning comeback to win 4-3 against Lille, making it four wins in five games in Ligue 1 for Les Gones, who are now on the brink of a late European charge.Lille were quick out of the blocks and almost caught Lyon cold on four minutes when Gabriel Gudmundsson robbed Clinton Mata on the visitors byline, but his cutback to the usually-clinical Jonathan David was well saved by Anthony Lopes. Despite getting a touch, there was nothing that Lopes could do on 21 minutes when Bafodé Diakité rose highest to flick Yusuf Yazıcı’s long free-kick into the top corner.
Yazıcı was forced off just five minutes later and his replacement Edon Zhegrova had an immediate sighter tipped round the post by the busy Lopes. After Alexandre Lacazette headed over from Mata’s cross, Zhegrova made Lyon pay this time round. A disastrous short goal kick was given away to David who laid the ball off to the Albanian international to bury low into the corner from the edge of the box on 37 minutes.
Lyon’s only defeat in their last eight in all competitions was against champions Paris Saint-Germain two weeks ago and they came out in the second half invigorated. On 65 minutes, Ainsley Maitland-Niles was sent surging clear by Nemanja Matić and linked up with Lacazette to tee up Saïd Benrahama who finished with aplomb high into the top corner. The goal was confirmed by the VAR after the flag from the linesman was confirmed as being incorrect. Buoyed by this, Pierre Sage brought the cavalry off the bench with a raft of attacking subs and two of them combined for a leveller on 82 minutes. Mama Baldé left Ismaily in his wake with a burst of pace down the right and his cutback was stabbed home by Malick Fofana at the back post.
🇫🇷⚽️ | Malick Fofana (goal) vs LOSCpic.twitter.com/mut614x1Ms— Belgian Players 🇧🇪 (@BelgianPlayers) May 6, 2024 However, Lyon’s fragility from set pieces was exposed on 85 minutes by Diakité again as he was left unmarked to bury a bullet header from Angel Gomes’ corner. Incredibly, though, the goals were not finished as the game swung again on 88 minutes. Two former Arsenal men combined for Lyon as Maitland-Niles picked out Lacazette to finish into the roof of the net from close range.
Lyon were not content with a point and used their momentum to knick all three points in stoppage time as Baldé nodded home Mata’s cross to move his side up to seventh, just two points off the European places while Brest still occupy the last automatic UEFA Champions League qualification spot ahead of Lille.🇫🇷 Goal: Balde Mama | Lille 3-4 LyonBalde Mama scores a goal, and Mata Clinton assists. pic.twitter.com/JQKDFAQrw0— 🔆 More clips on @FootColic – Follow! (@HeadLovie84693) May 6, 2024 LIGUE 1 – MATCHDAYFriday Toulouse – Montpellier 1-2 (1-1)/Dallinga 34 – Savanier 27, Fayad 81/Lens – Lorient 2-0 (0-0)/Wahi 57, Da Costa 81/Saturday Le Havre – Strasbourg 3-1 (1-0)/Kechta 24, 65, Ayew 90+5 – Guilbert 86/Monaco – Clermont 4-1 (2-1)/Minamino 16, Embolo 37, Ben Yedder 57, 87 – Cham 34/Metz – Rennes 2-3 (2-1)/Mikautadze 17, Diallo 45 – Gouiri 23, Bourigeaud 73 pen, Kalimuendo 90+2/Brest – Nantes 0-0Monday Lille – Olympique Lyon 3-4 (2-0)/Diakite 21, 85, Zhegrova 37 – Benrahma 66, Fofana 82, Lacazette 88, Balde 90+2/DELAYED TO MAY 15Nice – PSGReims – Olympique Marseille