Lyon beat Crystal Palace 3-2 and climb to provisional 3rd in the Europa League

Lyon edged Crystal Palace 3-2 at the Groupama Stadium to register their second victory in the Europa League and sit provisionally 3rd in the league phase. The game swung constantly: the hosts went into the break with a 2-0 advantage, then had to defend hard during the final stretch.

Pressure after the 2-0

Pierre Sage’s side found ways through Nakamura and kept Crystal Palace under pressure for long spells. They also scored early and at the end of the first half, turning the match into a chase for the visitors. The Gones’ lead was boosted when a smart Sulc touch set up Nakamura, who finished with no offside issue.

But the Eagles responded. A goal from Kamada after a defensive slip pulled Palace right back in, leaving the Japanese one-on-one with Greif from the penalty spot. VAR also cleared the visitors: there was no penalty for Crystal Palace even though Kamada appeared to be fouled inside the area.

Injuries and late changes

Late on, Lyon dealt with a fitness issue: Timber suffered a problem after landing on his lower back, requiring medical attention. Sage made substitutions including McNeil for Timber and further changes, while Crystal Palace brought on players in the closing stages. In the end, Lyon held on to the 3-2 win despite the late surge from Palace.