TOPS/FLOPS – Lyon, ineffective in front of goals, stopped its good series on home soil against Besiktas (0-1), during the third day of the Europa League.
TOPS
Besiktas chirurgical
Who would have thought given the look of the match that the Turks would bring home a point from Groupama Stadium, even worse that they would take three. Yet the Black Eagles did it. Cornered by the Gones offensives, Besiktas chomped at the bit until finding an opening.
The first occurred in the 64th minute, on a poor alignment of the Lyon defense, the Turks got dangerously close. Fortunately, a final missed pass gave the Lyonnais a reprieve. Three minutes later, on a counter flash, Immobile found the post. Warned, the locals were caught at their own game. On a new counter, Rafa Silva showed his qualities as an outstanding passer to find Fernandes who adjusted the goalkeeper well (71st). The second (real) opportunity was concluded by the training of Giovanni Van Bronckhorst, who gave a real lesson in realism to the locals.
One guardian can hide another
Few people saw him coming, too. Surprise starter after the withdrawal of goalkeeper Mert Günok, author among others of the best save of the last Euro with Turkey, his compatriot Ersin Destanoglu was keen to shine. Already starting against Frankfurt on the last day, the 23-year-old goalkeeper took three. Against Lyon, the story got off to a bad start. From the first minute of play after an unfortunate contact with his defender Masuaku, Destanoglu, stunned, had difficulty getting up and thought he was giving up his place. Finally, the goalkeeper secured his position and was decisive.
Already attentive when his team were not there, he reassured in his convincing exits at the feet of Lacazette (13th). Before, he had already pulled off an incredible reflex save with his foot to repel a point-blank header from Benrahma (7th). Add to that a face-to-face victory against Maitland-Niles (37th), a saving save against Lacazette (53rd) and good catches on complicated balls. In short, Destanoglu scored points and held the house when his partners were not there.
FLOPS
Lyon’s clumsiness
It’s not just PSG who are having trouble finishing their chances. One number perfectly sums up Lyon’s inefficiency in front of goal: 30. This is the number of shots Lyon took during this meeting. And despite several nasty blows of fate, like this goal refused for a minimal offside (24th), this penalty which became a free kick (27th), the bar in the 56th and the saving foot of Uduokhai on his line (90+4th), Pierre Sage’s men missed too much ammunition. Lacazette, Cherki, Nuamah, Tolisso, including Benrahma, all have scoring opportunities.
Benrahma, like his family, missed too much
There has to be one. Benrahma attempted the most with eight shots, two more than Tolisso. However, the Algerian international did not get one on target. If he earned his place in the 11 for his clinical efficiency against Le Havre on the last day of Ligue 1, the former West Ham player did quite the opposite against the Turks. Often available and often found, the winger, beyond his imprecision, never made the right decisions in his strikes. His best opportunity remains this crossbar (56th).
Perri does not respond to her counterpart
Announced successor to Anthony Lopes, Lucas Perri has difficulty being decisive in big matches. Already at fault during the defeat against OM last September (2-3), the Lyon goalkeeper did not secure his position against Besiktas. Without any real chances to get his teeth into before the second half, on his first real intervention, the former São Paulo player made an unacademic save which almost cost him the goal. Fortunately, on Immobile’s powerful shot, his opposite hand save led the ball onto the post (67th). Later, in the one-on-one against Fernandes, it was his moment and the Gones goalkeeper lost it (71st). When your club loses and your counterpart has a big match, we are necessarily more attentive to the performance of the last rampart.
