Lyon vs PSG: Despite first place, PSG couldn’t win 11th-ranked Lyon

Match preview

With the recent form of two clubs, it is obvious to see that PSG are at a higher level compared to Lyon. PSG are possessing 10 consecutive unbeaten games, including six wins and four draws. Meanwhile, Lyon have witnessed a string of four games that they couldn't win, but three draws and one loss.

Regarding their head-to-head record, with the 22 latest games between Lyon and PSG in all competitions except for friendlies, Lyon only won four times, drew three, and lost in 15 matches to the capital club. 

However, both clubs are suffering a big loss in their squad with numerous key players being absent due to the strong impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and injuries. In this case, while Lyon are in a thirst for a win, PSG aim for more points to leave behind the rest of the 2021-22 Ligue 1. Anything can happen until the match literally ends.

Line-up 

• Lyon: Lopes, Lukeba, Boateng, Da Silva, Emerson, Caqueret, Guimaraes, Dubois, Aouar, Paqueta, Dembele.
• PSG: Navas, Dagba, Marquinhos, Kimpembe, Mendes, Herrera, Paredes, Verratti, Wijnaldum, Icardi, Mbappe.

The home club took the lead in the first half, PSG equalized in the 76th minute

The visitors were poured cold water right in the seventh minute. When the defenders from the PSG side went too high and Lucas Paqueta had a lot of space to score the opening goal for Lyon.

Lucas Paqueta scored for Lyon right in the 7th minute

The Brazilian midfielder received a long pass from Houssem Aouar and made an accurate shot with his right foot to the left corner of the goal. 

After that, the visitors rose stronger to find an equalizer. They created many opportunities, but also missed all of them and couldn’t turn one into a goal until the first half of the second half passed. 

Mbappe stood out with a couple of really dangerous shots. But it seemed that luck didn’t smile with this young Frenchman that day.  

Mbappe stood out with numerous dangerous and close shots, but was not lucky to bring PSG a goal

The home team almost doubled the difference in the 58th minute with a sequence of quick shots among their players in front of PSG’s goal. 

Until the 78th minute, Kehrer could bring the equalizing goal to PSG after 10 minutes entering the pitch from the bench. This substitution seemed to be the right decision from Pochettino after this Argentine started to worry about the situation.

PSG celebrated after the goal from Kehrer

In the 82nd minute, PSG were awarded a free-kick but once again, Mbappe’s shot found the way to the post instead of into the net.

The game ended with regrets for both. No more goals were scored after the Kehrer’s equalizer, and the final score was 1-1. 

Updated 2021-22 Ligue 1 table

After a 1-1 draw against the club from the capital, Lyon climbed one rank to the 11th position with 25 points. They are currently sharing these points with the other two lower-ranked clubs, Angers and Brest. 

PSG can still be safe and defend their first place with 47 points, 11 points greater than Nice and Marseille, the runner-up and third-placed club respectively. This game is the fifth draw of PSG since the beginning of the season, and they have only suffered the feeling of losing once in the trip to Rennes’s stadium in early October.

Despite this disappointing draw, they are the club with the best performance in the 2021-22 Ligue 1 so far.  

2021-22 Ligue 1 table

References

Wikipedia

Betimate.com

Vavel.com

Espn.com