Lyon’s unbeaten league start disappeared under the lights at Bollaert on Friday, where Lens imposed themselves early and held on for a 2-1 victory in the opening match of Ligue 1’s sixth round.
Key takeaways
- Lens beat Lyon 2-1 to end OL’s unbeaten run of three wins and two draws.
- Yannick Cahuzac marked his first home match in charge at Bollaert with a victory.
- Lyon did not score until the 85th minute, shortly after Lens defender Matthieu Udol was sent off.
- Khalis Merah scored Lyon’s only goal of the night.
- Corentin Tolisso and Paulo Fonseca both criticised Lyon’s first-half display.
Lens take control before Lyon respond too late
The home side set the rhythm from the outset, with Lyon unable to match Lens in the early battles or prevent them from finding space behind the midfield. Cahuzac’s team led the contest for long stretches and protected their advantage despite a late twist.
Udol’s dismissal came after a reckless action involving Merah. Lyon then finally found a way through in the 85th minute, with Merah reducing the deficit, but the visitors could not produce a second late goal to rescue their unbeaten record.
The result brought Lyon’s league sequence to a halt after they had opened the campaign with three victories and two draws.
Tolisso accepts responsibility as Europa League awaits
Lyon captain Tolisso delivered a blunt assessment after the final whistle. He said his side had failed to compete physically or match Lens’s intensity before the interval.
“In the first half, we were nowhere near them in the duels or in intensity,” Tolisso said. “They ran over us.”
The midfielder also pointed to his own positioning, admitting he had played too high and should have stayed closer to Florian Thauvin. Lens, he said, repeatedly managed to find players in the space behind Lyon’s shape.
Fonseca shared his captain’s frustration, saying Lyon had effectively handed the opening 45 minutes to their opponents. The Portuguese coach refused to hide behind the lack of preparation time, even though his team had only one day to work on the plan.
“We do not want excuses,” Fonseca said. “There were too many technical mistakes and we kept forcing the play down the same side.”
He nevertheless saw an improvement after the break, when Lyon showed more urgency and eventually found Merah’s late goal. Their attention now turns to Europe, with Crystal Palace due to visit Lyon on Thursday in the Europa League.
