The two teams were neutralized on behalf of the 28ᵉ day of Ligue 1. Alexandre Lacazette scored his 150ᵉ goal in the colors of Lyon.
By BL with AFP
© OLIVIER CHASSIGNOLE / AFP
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Lyon and Nantes drew 1-1 on Friday March 17 at Groupama Stadium in a match of the 28e day of Ligue 1, a result which keeps the two clubs in the soft underbelly of the classification. OL, which have only lost once, at Auxerre (2-1), in their last eight league games, are treading water with two draws in a row after the one snatched from Lille (3-3). The Rhone club remains 10e six lengths from Rennes (5e).
For its part, after having obtained a draw against Nice (2-2) after three defeats in a row, the FCN, is also on two points sharing in a row, and ranks 14e seven points ahead of Auxerre, 17e and first relegation.
The main thing is also elsewhere for the two teams which will meet on April 5 at the Beaujoire stadium in the semi-finals of the Coupe de France, with their sights set on European qualification which would save the season for both teams. That of Lyon in particular, whose turnover is 250 million euros and far from the claims displayed before the start of the championship.
That day, the Lyonnais will have to be more vigilant from the start, unlike what happened on Friday with a goal scored against his side by Castello Lukeba from the 2e minute, despite Rémy Riou’s good outing against Mostafa Mohamed after a ball lost in midfield by Maxence Caqueret, put in difficulty by Corentin Tolisso.
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A second period dominated by OL
Subsequently, OL controlled the game with 67% possession of the ball and it was logical that Alexandre Lacazette equalized in the 24th.e minute by taking a pass from the head of Bradley Barcola in two stages, after a good collective action. It’s the 150e goal of Lacazette (31 years old) with Lyon of which he becomes the 2e goalscorer in club history, just ahead of Bernard Lacombe (149 goals, 1969-1978), but still far behind Fleury Di Nallo (222 goals, 1960-December 1974).
The Lyon captain, who returned free last summer after five years at Arsenal, could have given the lead in added time in the first half, but his header was stopped by Alban Lafont after a cross delivered by Tolisso ( 45 + 1). Subsequently, OL dominated the start of the second period with another chance for Caqueret on which Lafont intervened well (52) before Lacazette, who returned from injury on March 10 in Lille, came out.
And without their “General”, nothing more happened for Laurent Blanc’s men despite their domination. For its part, Nantes also had other opportunities than the goal it scored with a parade from Riou in front of Mohamed (35) then in front of Ervann Guessand (51). Mohamed, again, also shot above despite a favorable position (55) before a rather boring end to the game.