PLAYER RATINGS | Lille 3-4 Lyon: Substitutes inspire yet another dramatic comeback for OL | OneFootball

Lille were hoping to regain advantage over Brest in the race for Champions League football as they welcomed Lyon to the Stade Pierre Mauroy on a rare Monday evening in Ligue 1. In contrast, OL were looking to stay in the hunt for European football and continue their dramatic recovery drive up the table.

Lyon quickly began to struggle in the opening stages of the game. With several misplaced passes and reckless attempts to win the ball, OL were forced into a deeper shape allowing Lille to pick their passes and control the game in the earlier stages. This dominance was rewarded from one of several free kicks.

Yusuf Yazici played a lovely vertical ball into the area from the free kick and Bafodé Diakité leaped above everyone else to expertly head the ball home into the far corner. Lyon’s reckless pressing approach was punished after conceding several free kicks to the hosts in the opening 20 minutes. Zhegrova replaced the injured Yazici in the 25th minute and almost made an instant impact as his curling effort from distance had to be turned around the post by Lopes.

Zhegrova punished some lapse play from Lyon whilst playing out of the back with a great reverse shot to deceive Lopes and double Lille’s lead. Les Gones began to look helpless to avoid defeat with abjectly poor defending for both goals and sloppy passing in possession as the hosts took a two goal lead into the break.

After Lille’s superiority in the first half, there was a renewed intent from the visitors at the start of the second half as they played in a much more positive and progressive nature in comparison to the early stages of the first half. Benrahma ensured that these exploits were fruitful with a brilliantly taken finish on the counter attack. Lacazette played the ball into the West Ham loanee and he made no mistake with his curling effort to give Lyon a much needed lifeline.

Sage looked to the substitutes bench to change the game and they did just that. Mama Baldé did excellently to evade Alexsandro before getting his head up and playing a ball across the six-yard box allowing Malick Fofana to tap in at the far post. The comeback was complete or was it?

With Lyon back level, Bafodé Diakité had other ideas. From another set piece, the French defender rose above everyone else in the box to reach the ball and power his header home beyond Lopes. All OL’s good work had come undone from another poorly defended set piece.  Lille regained the lead but for how long? 3 minutes to be exact.

Lacazette leveled the game for a second time with an excellently controlled volley. Ainsley Maitland-Niles’ bending cross landed perfectly in the direction of the Lyon captain and he made no mistake to level the game once again for his team.  Could they win it? Mama Baldé thought so.

The substitute gave Lyon the lead for the first time in the game. Clinton Mata’s cross found the Troyes loanee in the penalty area and he jumped in front of his marker to win the header and beat Chevalier in the Lille goal. OL had completed yet another comeback.

Lille player ratings

Lucas Chevalier – 5

Tiago Santos – 6

Bafodé Diakité – 7, Naturally a defender, it was in the other box in which Diakité became the shining light for Lille. The Lille defender became a menace from set pieces and leaped above his marker on more than one occasion to power a header home.

Lény Yoro – 5

Ismaily – 5

Angel Gomes – 7

Nabil Bentaleb – 6

Yusuf Yazici – N/A

Hákon Haraldsson – 6

Gabriel Gudmundsson – 7, The Swede was incredibly positive from the start and set the early tempo for Les Dogues. Progressive attacking runs and his ability to win the ball high allowed Lille to cement early pressure and continue to do so for the rest of the evening until he was withdrawn due to injury.

Jonathan David – 5

Edon Zhegrova – 7, Surprisingly benched from the start, The substitute made an instant impact on the right flank and expertly took his goal with a cleverly disguised shot. His influence on the game showed why he has become one of the outstanding right midfielders in Ligue 1 this season.

Lyon player ratings:

Anthony Lopes – 5

Clinton Mata – 6

Jake O’Brien – 5

Duje Ćaleta-Car – 5

Nicolás Tagliafico – 5

Maxence Caqueret – 5

Nemanja Matić – 4, Normally a calming and commanding presence at the base of midfield, Matić had the opposite effect against Lille. At fault for the second goal with a misplaced pass, it was a night to forget for the former Manchester United midfielder.

Corentin Tolisso – 5

Ernest Nuamah – 5

Alexandre Lacazette – 7

Saïd Benrahma – 6, Despite a poor start to the match, the Algerian came to life in the second half with a much more effective display in attack. With improved creativity and a ruthlessness in front of goal, he gave OL a much needed route back into the match.

Mama Baldé – 7, The difference maker. His entrance breathed new life into Lyon as he completed the comeback for the visitors with a vital goal and assist. The Troyes loanee has finally arrived at OL after a underwhelming start to life at the club.

GFFN | Liam Wraith