Joshua Zirkzee appeared to have sealed a basic smash-and-grab victory when rising to move dwelling Bruno Fernandes’s cross with 87 minutes on the clock. However deep in added time Rayan Cherki turned dwelling after what appeared a second André Onana howler – the keeper pushing the ball straight out.
This adopted a primary error that featured Thiago Almada’s useless ball skip straight previous Onana and absolutely trigger Nemajan Matic – an unused substitute – glee.
This adopted the Serb branding Onana one among United’s poorest keepers after the 29-year-old’s declare that United are higher than Lyon. The tit-for-tat closed with Onana’s dig that he has received trophies at United – not like in Matic’s 5 years on the membership – however he nonetheless ended the night time thanking Leny Yoro for the equaliser that eased his discomfort.
The breathless finish means the tie is poised properly for subsequent week’s second leg.
The Onana-Matic spat fuelled a crowd who let off flares and firecrackers within the Décines-Charpieu solar, then entered a bouncing stadium to barrack the keeper each time they may.
The identical quantity have been near jeering their captain when Corentin Tolisso jabbed a boot at Bruno Fernandes’s free-kick: he went near a hapless end previous his keeper, Lucas Perri, however the ball went to security.
Lyon focused Diogo Dalot as a weak point. Twice diagonals had him flatfooted: the second allowed Georges Mikautadze to purpose a header in the direction of Tolisso, however Dalot, recovering, cleared. Mikautadze’s subsequent transfer was burning away from Dalot and dinking in a cross – once more, the ahead was thwarted and once more, United’s right-wingback was weak.
United have been typically organized with six or seven within the backline, a corollary of the stress Lyon utilized. A uncommon foray down their left featured Patrick Dorgu pulling the ball again for Rasmus Højlund, however an embarrassing scuff ensued and Lyon have been handed a aim kick.
Fernandes was much more completed when a Dalot-Alejandro Garnacho combo alongside the precise had the latter discovering his captain within the space: Fernandes pulled the set off, Perri palmed over.
How Onana wished he was as secure as this as a result of now got here a second to overlook. From the left, Almada floated in a free-kick within the hall of uncertainty that assessments whether or not a goalkeeper ought to come to say or not. Onana plumped in opposition to doing so, the ball bounced earlier than him, skidded, and the Cameroonian, despairing, flung a glove – however this solely tipped the ball into the online, as if giving a catching follow off the thick fringe of a bat.
Cue utter glee and derision from the house trustworthy and a rattled United, as personified by Dalot clattering Nicolás Tagliafico a time zone or two late and being booked by Glenn Nyberg. The guests wanted to calm themselves and the competition, however in a subsequent assault Garnacho’s shot was snatched and Lyon cleared. The subsequent query was whether or not Onana would add to his embarrassment.
Almada thought so as a result of at one other useless ball, 25 yards out and straighter this time, he took direct purpose, however the effort sailed excessive.
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Ruben Amorim wanted to get his males in for a phrase as a result of United have been in panic-mode. Noussair Mazraoui stumbled and conceded a nook; Harry Maguire and Yoro pressed deep and Lyon broke quick, the backline nearly recovering.
But after they did get lost the rating was stage: a Fernandes free-kick was punched by Perri straight to Manuel Ugarte, whose volley was flicked dwelling – admirably – by Yoro.
United’s second-half problem was to up their high quality – markedly. A Maguire 50-yard move that dropped exactly for the on-running Fernandes and had him zigzagging in the direction of aim was promising. However, for an umpteenth time, these round Fernandes failed him and the menace fizzled out.
Openings like these needed to be taken as they have been scant and since every time Lyon got here at United they may crumble. Instance: as soon as extra Mikautadze zipped down the left and turned the ball in for Alexandre Lacazette. Simply on as a alternative for Paul Akouokou, he skewered his volley so United escaped.
The gang remained energetic regardless of witnessing a fare that was the attritional stuff of the journeyman, not the elite footballer. Yoro, hoping to comply with up his first United strike, launched a mazy run that took him infield from the left however ended with an try firmly within the file marked “speculative”.
On 62 minutes, Amorim ended one other misplaced night time for Højlund by changing him with Joshua Zirkzee. Maybe Tolisso had caught every ahead’s bluntness earlier than aim as a result of after slick footwork opened United up he popped a shot tamely into Onana’s fingers.
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