Manchester United’s chances of advancing in the Europa League took a hit after a thrilling comeback by Lyon, as the team secured a 1-1 draw. The match will be remembered for two critical mistakes made by goalkeeper André Onana.
A nightmarish evening at the Groupama Stadium ended with a thrilling comeback from Lyon, as they secured a 1-1 draw against Manchester United in their Europa League encounter. The match will be remembered for two howlers committed by goalkeeper ‘ André Onana, which cast him as a mug and Nemanja Matic as a seer’.
Cameroonian professional footballer André Onana was banned from playing for two years by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in 2022.
The ban was due to a breach of anti-doping regulations, specifically the presence of a prohibited substance in his urine sample.
Onana claimed that the substance was an 'adulterant' added to his drink by someone else.
However, CAS found him guilty and imposed the two-year ban, which was later reduced to nine months.
The incident sparked debate about athlete responsibility and anti-doping measures.
The Erratic Performance of André Onana
Onana’s mistakes were the turning point in the game. His opening blunder allowed Thiago Almada to score from a free-kick, and his second error led to ‘ Rayan Cherki equalizing in injury time after pushing Corentin Tolisso’s shot straight to the 21-year-old.’ The goalkeeper’s poor decision-making raised questions about his ability to perform under pressure.
Lyon’s Defensive Solidity
Despite being on the back foot for most of the match, Lyon defended well and remained compact. Their captain, ‘Corentin Tolisso, was a threat to United’s defense,’ but their forward Georges Mikautadze was thwarted by United’s right-wing-back Rasmus Højlund twice. The hosts also limited United’s opportunities with six or seven players in the backline.
United’s Struggles on the Counter-Attack
Manchester United struggled to create scoring chances against Lyon‘s high press. Diogo Dalot, their right-wing-back, was exposed by Lyon’s diagonal passes, which caught him flat-footed twice. United’s attack lacked cohesion and creativity, with ‘Joshua Zirkzee’s late goal being the only positive from their perspective’.
The Psychological Impact
The match will be remembered for the crowd’s reaction to Onana’s mistakes, who were subjected to flares, firecrackers, and jeers whenever they could. This hostile atmosphere put pressure on United, who were rattled by the keeper’s errors. However, ‘Lyon’s resilience and determination ensured that their tie with Manchester United remains poised nicely for next week’s second leg’.
The Challenges Ahead
Lyon will need to be ready for everything at Old Trafford, as manager ‘Rudi Garcia acknowledged in a post-match interview.’ United, on the other hand, face an uphill task in progressing to the semi-final, given their erratic performance and reliance on individual brilliance from players like Zirkzee.
- theguardian.com | Onana’s errors cost Manchester United chance to gain advantage over Lyon
