“Monaco’s Hopes of Making Podium Dashed After Loss to Lyon”

After having nevertheless opened the scoring from the first minute, Monaco lost on the field of Lyon (3-1), Friday at the opening of the 36th day of Ligue 1, and made a cross on the podium while remaining under the threat from Lille for 4th place.

ASM (4th) are eight points behind OM (3rd) but are five points ahead of LOSC (5th) who host Marseille on Saturday. But the Northerners are also under pressure from the Lyonnais (7th), who are back on their heels, one point, and tied with Rennes (6th) who will play Sunday in Ajaccio, already relegated.

OL coach Laurent Blanc may have considered the race for Europe “grated” for his team beaten Sunday in Clermont (2-1), the fact remains that a qualification for the Europa League Conference remains mathematically possible even if it does not depend only on Lyon, two days from the end.

Monaco, which remained on a victory over Angers (2-1) and a draw against Lille (0-0), had therefore opened the scoring by Wissam Ben Yedder (replaced by Breel Embolo in the 71st minute) on a penalty obtained after fifteen seconds of play for a foul committed on himself by goalkeeper Anthony Lopes. Never in its history have OL conceded a penalty so quickly. But the Monegasques failed to capitalize on this early lead.

Subsequently, Lopes was decisive on an attempt by Ismail Jakobs (18th), and two successive shots by Youssouf Fofana and Alexandr Golovin (34th). The latter was still dangerous in front of Lopes (54th) before an uncertain cross from Vanderson fell on the bar (70th). Failing to materialize its few opportunities, Monaco was punished.

Alexandre Lacazette, taking a pass from Bradley Barcola equalized by scoring his 26th goal of the season in Ligue 1 (38th).

In the second half, Philippe Clement’s team collapsed against a much more dynamic opponent who took control of the game with several opportunities from Lacazette, Cherki and even Jeffinho, in particular.

Maxence Caqueret gave the advantage to his team after a good individual action by Rayan Cherki who should have scored the goal himself (57th) but the latter finally scored, on the right side, a very nice goal with a curled shot from the left, to bring the score to 3-1 (78th).

In the end, Lyon won a deserved success which gives a little more relief to the tributes of the public to the former president of the club, Jean-Michel Aulas, dismissed from his functions, on May 5 by the American owner of OL, John Textor.