Despite dominating the majority of the game, Le Gym leave Lyon empty handed after they were made to pay dearly for their individual mistakes by an extremely effective Olympique Lyonnais side.

After turning around a poor run of form at the start of November by picking up four points in two matches, Patrick Vieira’s Aiglons wanted to continue this run on the road, in order to bring a four-match losing streak away from home to an end. 

Les Azuréens created numerous chances, but their efforts (17, including seven on target) were not rewarded. 

Defensively, Patrick Vieira’s side put themselves under pressure in the first half. Although they weren’t in any danger, Les Rouge et Noir made two terrible errors, and they were fully made to pay by OL. Dolberg’s late goal set up an exciting end to a match, in which Le Gym were camped in the Lyon half, but couldn’t find the equaliser.

The features of the game 

The match took off at top speed. From the first seconds of the match, Ounas tested Lopes, but the keeper showed what he is made of throughout the encounter, putting in an excellent performance. After ten encouraging minutes, Le Gym made their first error, as Boudaoui lost the ball carelessly. Even without Memphis Depay, Olympique Lyonnais boast an impressive attack and Reine-Adélaïde made the most of a deflection by Dante, and beat Benitez with an impressive strike that crept in past the post to take the lead (10’).

Les Niçois quickly had a chance to equalise when Hérelle played the ball long for Boudaoui, who had managed to get in behind Denayer. Dolberg was waiting on the penalty spot, but the young Algerian’s pass was just too firm. After missing out on the equaliser, Les Rouge et Noir found themselves two behind just minutes later when Stanley Nsoki misplaced his pass on the half-way line as his teammates were starting an attack. On the counter, Terrier squared up Hérelle, before finding Dembelé who was brought down by the Nice defender in the box. OL’s number nine made no mistake from the penalty spot and gave his side a two-goal lead (28’, 2-0).

Lyon down to ten men

A catastrophic scenario for Les Aiglons, who were given an ounce of belief a few minutes later when Les Gones’ full-back Marçal was sent off, for a crazy high boot that connected with Boudaoui’s face. Getting a goal back before the break would have made a big difference, but Nsoki was denied by an impressive stop by Lopes (37’), before Dolberg’s header flew over from the corner that followed (38’).

Dolberg offside... by one millimetre 

After coming out for the second half against a Lyon side playing in a 4-4-1, Patrick Vieira’s side launched their siege on Lopes’ goal. Kasper Dolberg thought that he had quickly found the equaliser, as he converted the rebound after Ounas’ effort was parried by Lopes, but the goal was ruled out by the assistant referee, and then confirmed by VAR for offside… by one millimetre (49’).

The siege on Lopes’ goal 

Le Gym continued to push, Lopes saw Dante’s effort miss the target (59’) before closing the door on Ounas (67’). The threat increased but Lyon’s stopper stayed strong, winning another battle with Dolberg (70’). The Danish striker was finally rewarded for his efforts as he converted a beautiful cross into the box by Burner (2-1, 78’). The equaliser came close two minutes later when Burner crossed in once more, but Lees-Melou’s effort was easily dealt with by the Lyon keeper.

Nice were then reduced to ten men for the final ten minutes of the game when Patrick Burner received a second yellow card, and despite some last-ditch attempts, they couldn’t manage to find the elusive equaliser and were forced to return to the Côte d’Azur with the harsh feeling that things could have gone much better at the Groupama Stadium.

Patrick Vieira’s choices

The Nice coach set up his side in a 4-3-3 or a 4-4-2, depending on the situation. Youcef Atal was suspended and so it was Patrick Burner who took his place on the right of the defence. Stanley Nsoki was on the left of the defence, with Hérelle and Dante through the middle. 

In midfield, the coach stuck with Pierre Lees-Melou and Wylan Cyprien. Hicham Boudaoui started for the first time in the red and black shirt. He switched between the middle and the right wing. 

In attack, it was the same trio that faced Girondins de Bordeaux before the international break, with Adam Ounas and Ignatius Ganago playing either side of Kasper Dolberg.

At the break, Christophe Hérelle, who had picked up an ankle injury at the start of the match, made way for Malang Sarr. During the second half, Arnaud Lusamba and Myziane came on to try to turn the game around. 

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