Lyon suffers a crushing defeat against Strasbourg
Olympique Lyonnais 1-2 RC Strasbourg Alsace
THE GAME
Strasbourg took the lead just before the half-hour mark in stunning fashion, with a Sanjin Prcic corner cleared to Jean-Eudes Aholou, who returned the ball once on the long volley and found the corner bottom of the net. (29′). The visitors then doubled their advantage just three minutes later with Kévin Gameiro lifting the ball over the goalkeeper and Habib Diallo following to bundle it over the line.
Lyon recover a goal before half-time because Alexandre Lacazette transforms a penalty awarded on handball to bring his total for the season to 11 (45 + 2 ‘). They then pushed in the second half but their efforts to find the equalizer were in vain.
Strasbourg had won just once in their first 17 Uber Eats Ligue 1 games this season, but the response to manager Julien Stephan’s sacking on Monday was remarkable. Mathieu Le Scornet replaced Stéphan and oversaw a creditable draw with top-flight RC Lens in midweek before that victory, which leaves the Alsatian club temporarily out of the relegation zone ahead of Sunday’s games.
OL, meanwhile, are nine points behind European places, a gap that could widen before the end of the weekend. They have won just one of their last six league outings.
THE PLAYER: Kevin Gameiro
The veteran striker was instrumental in Strasbourg’s winning goal in what was the 500th Premier League appearance of his career. His two stays in Alsace were interspersed with spells at FC Lorient, Paris Saint-Germain, Seville, Atlético Madrid and Valence.
THE STAT: 44
We have to go back 44 years, in 1979, to find Strasbourg’s last victory against Lyon in the top flight. At the time, Racing was just beginning to defend its title, which it had won for the one and only time in its history. Now they are fighting to avoid relegation and this result could prove valuable.