A dramatic draw leaves it all to play for: Olympique Lyon 2 – 2 Manchester United – Match Report

Manchester United’s season lives or dies by this tie against Lyon. And the sides are still level after a dramatic draw in France. 

If you’d had offered United a draw coming into the game, they’d have taken it with the Red Devils holding the advantage of hosting the second leg at home. But getting so close to bringing back a lead, United must be devastated, especially as both goals they conceded were avoidable.

Nemanja Matić said in his pre-match press conference that André Onana was ‘one of the worst goalkeepers in the club’s history’. Whilst Matić didn’t start, Onana did, which guaranteed that everyone’s eyes would be on him. The United no.1 had something to prove tonight, but both goals must go down as his fault. For the first, Lyon had a free kick in a crossing position that was taken by youngster Rayan Cherki. The ball was swooped in, but no one in the box could get their head on it. It was left to run by United defenders, whilst Onana dived late as he waited for someone to make contact. The ball bounced in the box before creeping in at the far post to Cherki’s jubilation and Onana’s blushes. Lyon were always going to test the Cameroonian tonight, who was under the microscope from home fans who booed him all night and the media who’d been treated to a juicy quote, and he did himself no favours here. He’s a flamboyant keeper who guarantees headlines, and he’s certainly made a few tonight. 

This goal gave Lyon confidence to play a better game. They were slick in knocking the ball about and caused United problems. They forced mistakes and made the back three, particularly Mazraoui, work to defend. 

United fought back however at the stroke half time from their own free kick. Fernandes whipped in a ball, which was punched away by Lucas Perri between the Lyon sticks. It reached Manuel Ugarte on the edge of the box who let fly with a shot which whizzed into the path of Leny Yoro who instinctively got his head on the ball and nodded into the net.  

The equalizer really calmed the game down, and United reclaimed a calm dominance. Lyon had more possession of the ball but struggled to get it out of defence at times as United kept a strong line. The onus was on Lyon to score again as they travel to Manchester in a tricky second leg, which meant there were spaces in Lyon’s defence and midfield which United tried and eventually succeeded in exploiting. 

Substitute Kobbie Mainoo, who returned to the United side after two months on the sideline, was able to recycle the ball to Fernandes who dinked an inviting cross into the box which was met by Joshua Zirkzee. He used his towering height to clip a header over the Lyon keeper and seemingly got a late winner to take back to Old Trafford. 

Yet there was another twist in this tale, as Onana, who dominated talk in the lead up to the game, made sure he would be the only man on anyone’s lips as the final whistle blew. Lyon were able to grasp a last-minute equalizer amongst pandemonium in the box. Former Arsenal man Lacazette received the ball and was able to shield from United defenders and get it to Cherki who laid it up for Mikautadze. He pulled his leg back and unleashed a powerful shot straight at Onana. But he wasn’t able to hold it, letting it bounce right into the path of Cherki who dinked it over the keeper to bring the tie back to level standings. A real wasted opportunity for United.

They can only take the level scoreline and ensure they don’t make the same mistakes next week at Old Trafford. The Europa League remains their only chance to get into Europe and their solitary opportunity to sweep a dismal domestic campaign under the rug. 

Matic, in a separate interview that sparked controversy this week, said that trophies were never the target for Mourinho’s United team. But winning the Europa League can be Amorim’s only goal. Nothing else will do.