After a successful return in the Coupe de France, Mauricio Pochettino ‘s PSG closed the week by returning to Ligue 1, with an attractive match at Olympique Lyonnais. An intriguing match played in a very particular context, with the pandemic being reflected on missing players and the absence of fans. In addition to the injuries and the departures for AFCON, Mauricio Pochettino was faced with the task of fielding a new and unprecedented team, led by the tandem of Mbappe and Icardi, supported in attack by a midfielder by trade in Gini Wijnaldum.
🆗📺⚽️ The highlights of our meeting 🆚 Lyon (1-1)
— Paris Saint-Germain (@PSG_English) January 10, 2022
No other team has beaten PSG more times than Lyon since the Qatari takeover of the French capital club in 2011, and with the visitors decimated by injury and COVID-19, the meeting at the Groupama Stadium presented OL with an excellent opportunity to record a sixth win in the duo’s 22nd meeting over that period.
With just 24 points from their opening 18 games — their joint-lowest total since the turn of the millenium — Peter Bosz’s men needed a good start. In fact, they got a great one thanks to Lucas Paqueta.
In spite of the different positions held by the two teams in the table, the start of the match reminded us of what makes this French clash between Paris and Lyon so special: a battle at every moment, bitter, intense and always up for grabs, right from the off! From one end of the field to the other, the first flashes of brilliance came.But it was Lucas Paqueta who struck first, opening the scoring on the counter-attack (1-0, 8′). Between the roughness of the duels and the intensity of the pressing.
PSG managed to raise their game, with attempts from Paredes (21′), Kylian Mbappé (22′, 38′) and captain Marquinhos (24′) which were all turned away by Anthony Lopes. And when it wasn’t the goalkeeper, it was his post that saved him, like when Kylian Mbappe sent in a curling shot! (42′).
PSG gave everything they had to make the scoreboard lie: Keylor Navas kept out Moussa Dembele (58′), youngsters Michut and Simons came on to rescue the game and Kylian Mbappr did all he could to find the net. And this perseverance paid off, as well as Mauricio Pochettino’s tactics.On as a substitute, Thilo Kehrer came in from the right-hand side of the box and unleashed a first-time shot to level the score (1-1, 76′).
PSG have now scored a league-high 14 goals in the closing 15 minutes of games this season, Lyon have conceded a division-high 13 in the same timeframe.
after the match Lyon’s Bruno Guimarses said “We had a good game. It’s a shame we didn’t win. We have to keep this performance in mind for the rest of the league season. We are not in the place in which we want to be. We want to change that. We gave our all today and I’m pretty happy.”
After the match coach PSG Mauricio Pochettino said ,”It’s always good when the player who comes from the bench makes a big impact and today there was a big impact when they were on the pitch.”
🎙 Mauricio Pochettino: "It's always good when the player who comes from the bench makes a big impact and today there was a big impact when they were on the pitch." Also hear from Marco Verratti 💬 pic.twitter.com/3FC55xLgPx
— Paris Saint-Germain (@PSG_English) January 10, 2022
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Ligue1 PSG Lyon Football Sports Kolkata
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