Yahoo Sports PLAYER RATINGS | Lyon 1-0 Saint-Étienne: Alexandre Lacazette provides OL with derby day victory
In the first Rhône-Alpes derby for three years, both teams were looking to gain local bragging rights as Lyon hosted Saint-Étienne at the Groupama Stadium. The visitors were without any fans due to security reasons.
Due to firecrackers used before the game, two minutes into the match, play was delayed by 5 minutes. ASSE looked the most likely to open the scoring and Stassin went the closest inside the opening 25 minutes. The striker headed narrowly wide.
OL then responded with two chances in quick succession. Tolisso almost opened the scoring from an impressive Veretout cross only to be denied by Larsonneur. Lacazette then hit the post as the hosts pressed for an opener. After turning up the pressure, the captain eventually gave OL the lead. Tolisso attempted an overhead kick and the former Arsenal striker managed to beat Larsonneur to the ball before kneeing his effort into the roof of the net.
Cherki almost doubled his side’s lead with a free kick which was eventually turned away into the path of Maitland-Niles, who turned the ball across the face of goal but none of the four Lyon players in the box could turn it home. The OL academy graduate threatened again with a bouncing effort from distance that whistled wide of the post. Despite not being able to find a second, it was the hosts who led at half-time.
Les Verts started the second half the better of the two teams. Maçon went agonisingly close to levelling the game only for Ćaleta-Car to provide a vital block with Lucas Perri beaten. After a while, Lyon began to get comfortable in the match again and dominated possession without creating any clear-cut chances.
Ernest Nuamah believed he had doubled Lyon’s lead after capitalising on a mistake from Larsonneur, who was closed down well by Mikautadze. However, the Georgian was adjudged to accidentally handball whilst closing down the Les Verts stopper and the goal was ruled out.
Tagliafico almost turned the ball into his own net after Perri failed to claim a cross into the box but breathed a sigh of relief as the ball sailed over the bar. Moueffek would also go close in stoppage time only to be denied by Perri. The Brazilian’s late heroics were enough to secure all three points for Les Gones in the derby. OL move up to fifth in Ligue 1.
Lyon player ratings:
Lucas Perri: 7
Ainsley Maitland-Niles: 5
Duje Ćaleta-Car: 6
Moussa Niakhaté: 5
Nicolás Tagliafico: 5
Nemanja Matić: 6
Jordan Veretout: 6 – In the first half, the former Marseille midfielder was often pushing wide on the right flank which made him elusive and created joy for the hosts. With several tempting crosses into the area from the right, the midfielder added a creative spark in addition to the combative side of his game.
Corentin Tolisso: 7
Rayan Cherki: 7
Alexandre Lacazette: 7 – Fired up for his first derby back in an OL shirt, the captain proved to be a real menace in front of goal. In addition to his solitary goal, with a few fortunate bounces, the 33-year-old could have easily had a hat-trick on the night.
Malick Fofana: 6
Selected Saint-Étienne player ratings:
Zuriko Davitashvili: 5
Lucas Stassin: 3
Yvann Maçon: 6 – From right back, the defender looked the most likely for the visitors at the opposite end of the pitch. With confidence and freedom to push forward, the Frenchman had two good efforts saved by Perri to deny his side an equaliser.
