LYON, France :A stoppage-time finish from Rayan Cherki earned Olympique Lyonnais a dramatic 2-2 draw with Manchester United in the first leg of their Europa League quarter-final on Thursday, with visiting goalkeeper Andre Onana’s errors costing his side dear.
Onana was the centre of attention in the Groupama Stadium after his pre-match war of words with Lyon midfielder Nemanja Matic, and the pressure told as his mistake gifted Thiago Almada a 25th-minute opener.
A timely equaliser right on halftime from Leny Yoro, the young centre-back’s first goal for United since joining in the close season, levelled things up, before Joshua Zirkzee’s late header looked to have earned the visitors a battling victory.
Cherki, however, capitalised on another Onana error, when the Cameroonian could only push Georges Mikautadze’s shot straight out to him, denying United a win to galvanise their disappointing season.
For all their domestic struggles, the Europa League has been a safe haven for United this season, with Ruben Amorim’s side coming into Thursday’s first leg as the only team in this year’s competition unbeaten.
The visitors started well, creating the better openings – Danish striker Rasmus Hojlund wasting a glorious early chance. That miss proved costly, as Onana’s error gifted Lyon the opener.
The pre-match discourse had been centred on the clash between Onana and former United midfielder Matic. Onana had said United were “way better” than their French opponents, with Matic biting back, labelling the United stopper one of the worst goalkeepers in the club’s history.
Onana got plenty of abuse from home supporters every time he touched the ball, with the glaring mistake that allowed Almada’s free kick to drift all the way in not helping his cause.
United did not let their heads drop, however, with Yoro doing well to guide Manuel Ugarte’s strike into the net with his head, the centre-back becoming the club’s youngest-ever defender to score in Europe.
United retreated in the second half, with Lyon passing up several big chances before Bruno Fernandes picked out Zirkzee to spark wild scenes of celebration, before joy quickly turned to despair in stoppage time.
