Man of the Match
Lacazette (7.5): Despite touching the ball 34 times, the Lyon captain managed to make a difference. Initially contained by Lille’s defense in the first half, he created danger and provided a beautiful assist for Lyon’s only goal early in the second half, ultimately helping OL equalize towards the end of the match. His 17th goal of the season. In a match where both teams had their moments, he stood out as the most impactful player of the evening.
Lille OSC
Chevalier (5): Not heavily tested in the first half, where he had to assert himself aerially, the French goalkeeper faced more shots after halftime. He made some crucial saves but conceded four goals in the second half, although it’s hard to fault him significantly.
Tiago Santos (4.5): Very attacking-minded, the Portuguese player didn’t neglect his defensive duties, especially in the first half where he showed solidity. Covered a lot of ground in his flank, willing to push forward when possible, despite some technical errors. Struggled along with his teammates in the second half, being caught out of position for Lyon’s second goal by Malick Fofana.
– Diakité (6): Solid in duels, precise in his passes, and a scorer twice from set-pieces, the defender was all over the pitch tonight. Despite a drop in performance in the second half along with his team and some positional errors, he was the one who sparked his team with Lille’s third goal, which was their first shot since halftime. He even came close to scoring a hat-trick towards the end of the match.
– Yoro (4.5): The young Lille defender was watchful against Lyon’s attacks, cutting off passes, although he struggled more in the second half. He did well to track back on Lacazette in a tense situation in the box. However, he was beaten by Mama Baldé’s aggression in the dying moments of the game for Lyon’s fourth goal.
– Ismaily (4): The experienced Brazilian wasn’t tested much one-on-one, thanks to Gudmundsson’s defensive support. He was caught out of position covering Nuamah for Lyon’s consolation goal. His offensive contribution was minimal.
– Gomes (5): The English midfielder was highly active in midfield. Aggressive in pressing the ball carrier – at times overly so – Angel Gomes, like Bentaleb, led the charge for his team. His long passes frequently found Gudmundsson or Zhegrova in behind the defense. However, both Bentaleb and he struggled to maintain the tempo after halftime.
– Bentaleb (5.5): The key player for LOSC once again showcased his vision and passing skills. With minimal errors and crucial for his team’s balance, the Algerian had a good performance tonight, although he slowed down in the second half, much like his teammates.
– Gudmundsson (5.5): Starting on the left flank, the Swedish player put in a lot of effort. He was involved in Lille’s first threat by winning a high ball, showing his aggressiveness throughout the match. He had to leave the field due to an ankle injury and was replaced by Cabella (56th minute).
– Haraldsson (4): Playing as a number 10, the Icelander mainly operated between the lines of OL’s 4-1-4-1 formation, allowing his midfield partners to lead the attacks. However, he was not involved enough by his teammates despite his efforts to make an impact. He showed promise with some good moves but lacked the technical precision to be decisive.
– Yazici (not rated): Providing the assist for Diakité, the Turkish player had to be substituted early on (25th minute) for Zhegrova (6.5). Upon entering the game, he demonstrated his strengths: dribbling, cutting inside, and shooting. A contender for the Ligue 1 Player of the Season award, the Kosovar showcased his talent to the fans and his coach by scoring the second goal after a fine recovery by Jonathan David. He was less involved in the second half and was eventually replaced by Alexsandro (74th minute), who was beaten for the second goal and failed to mark Lacazette for the third. An impactful substitution, but not in a positive way.
David (5): The Canadian had the first chance of the match, well saved by Lopes. As usual, he put in a lot of effort in both attacking and defending for his team, as seen in Lille’s second goal scored by Zhegrova where he won the ball back before providing the decisive pass. However, he spent the second half chasing the ball around.
Olympique Lyonnais
Lopes (4): A crucial save in front of David (5th minute), followed by an important punch to deny Zhegrova (27th minute). Unfortunately, he couldn’t do much against Diakité’s powerful header and was obstructed by Caleta-Car on Zhegrova’s low shot. In the second half, he made two crucial stops but conceded another goal from Diakité’s header.
Tagliafico (4): Not much to say about the Argentine’s first half, as most of the danger came from the other side of the pitch. With 39 passes and 4 duels won, he was substituted at halftime for a tactical adjustment, with Maitland-Niles (7) taking his place. The Englishman played a part in Benrahma’s goal and delivered a superb cross for Lacazette’s goal. His introduction changed the game.
– O’Brien (3): The defensive issues persist for OL, as seen in O’Brien’s struggles with positioning and aerial duels. While not directly involved in the three goals conceded, questions arise about his marking on set pieces. His performance notably improved after Zhegrova was substituted.
– Caleta-Car (4): Similar to O’Brien, he was at fault for marking on set pieces but couldn’t do much about the second goal. Fairer than his central defense partner, he made a crucial intervention against David (62nd minute) and completed three important interceptions. The defensive line needs refining.
– Mata (5.5): A shaky start defensively, allowing Gudmundsson to pose a threat early on with a dangerous cross for David (5th minute). The Lyon full-back grew into the game, delivering an excellent cross for Lacazette (31st minute) and showing more control in the second half. Notably, he provided a superb cross for Mama Baldé’s winning goal.
– Tolisso (4): Like the rest of the Lyon team, the 2018 World Cup winner struggled to make an impact. He was ineffective in the first half and won only two duels in the second. A tough match against a strong Lille midfield that outperformed OL’s. Substituted for Mangala (67th minute).
Matic (3.5): Arguably the Lyon midfielder who struggled the most in this game. Technically, he wasn’t up to par, making several passing errors. His game took a turn for the worse after a disastrous clearance that landed at David’s feet, leading to the second goal. However, he redeemed himself with a great pass to Maitland-Niles, setting up Lyon’s consolation goal. Substituted by Cherki (68th minute), who made a valuable contribution.
Caqueret (5.5): Less prominent than usual in the first half, he played a crucial role in the second half with his technical precision making a difference. A game of two halves for the Gones’ midfielder.
Benrahma (5.5): The Algerian faced one of his toughest challenges since joining Lyon. Missed several crosses early in the game, failed to convert set-pieces, and lost possession more often than not. Despite a lackluster performance for an hour, his talent shone through with a superb curling strike to get Lyon back in the game. Substituted by Fofana (67th minute), who made a decisive impact by equalizing for OL!
Lacazette (7.5): Refer to the above assessment.
Nuamah (3): Just like Benrahma, he didn’t have the expected impact throughout the game. There were many technical inaccuracies, especially in his crosses (4 missed) and no successful dribbles. He did try a good shot on goal, well saved by Chevalier (65th minute). However, it was too little. Substituted by Mama Baldé (79th minute), who, in one move, did what Nuamah should have done by delivering a decisive pass to Fofana after a good breakthrough. He then scored the winning goal in injury time. A real game-changer.
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