PLAYER RATINGS | Lyon 3-0 Metz: Les Gones dominant against newly-promoted Les Grenats | OneFootball

Matchday 2 Ligue 1 McDonald’s, 23/08/2025

Lyon made it two wins from two with a dominant display against the newly-promoted Metz, thanks to goals from Malick Fofana, Corentin Tolisso and Adam Karabec.

The match

Mikautadze went close to giving Lyon an early lead against his former club. After good link-up play involving Tolisso and Fofana, the Georgian found himself unmarked in Metz’s back, but leaning back, his shot was too close to Fischer to find the breakthrough. The visitors then began to show threatening signs. Kouao did brilliantly to get to the byline and pick out Madjo in the area, but the teenager’s flick-on couldn’t find its way towards goal.

Les Grenats created a few opportunities in the opening twenty minutes, but it would be OL that found the first opening in the game. On his full debut, Šulc showed great skill to evade his marker before finding Fofana, who, with superb balance, shifted inside brilliantly to create space before firing beyond Fischer to give OL the lead.

Despite the visitors’ promising start, Les Gones soon doubled their lead. Morton opened the Metz defence with a pinpoint pass to find Maitland-Niles in acres of space. The English full-back played a square ball to Tolisso to fire home with aplomb and double their advantage. OL led by two at the break.

The match came to a temporary halt in the 55th minute after an incident in the stands, but this didn’t stop the pressure being applied to Fischer’s goal. However,  Kouao continued to be a menace on the right flank. The Ivorian international escaped in behind once again and found Madjo, but the striker couldn’t find the back of the net, and the chance was snuffed out.

Šulc’s effort from distance went narrowly wide, but the Czech international was unable to extend Les Gones’ lead. As OL searched for a third, Mikautadze was presented with his second opportunity of the night, but he couldn’t convert from the edge of the area. Fofana dug out a superb cross to find Mikautadze again, but his header was well stopped by Fischer, as the Georgian’s frustrations grew.

In the final ten minutes of the match, Lyon would find a third. Karabec’s flick-on was headed onto the crossbar by Tessmann in the area, before it fell back into the path of the substitute to apply the finishing touch. Metz pushed for a consolation in stoppage time, but their efforts were thwarted as OL signed off their night with a clean sheet and three points.

Lyon player ratings:

Rémy Descamps – 5

Ainsley Maitland-Niles – 7

Back playing in a more familiar position, the former Englishman managed to influence the game in both boxes. Tasked with defending against the tricky Abuashvili, the 28-year-old stood his ground and prevented two potential goal-scoring opportunities. Additionally, his delivery into the box proved to be accurate and decisive, as he provided the assist for Tolisso’s goal.

Clinton Mata – 5

Moussa Niakhaté – 6

Abner – 5

Tyler Morton – 7

The former Liverpool midfielder’s performance was paired with both control and confidence. His passing in the final third caused problems as he created the opening for the second goal, and in defence he proved a reliable screen for the defence and contributed with several decisive interventions.

Tanner Tessmann – 6

Pavel Šulc – 6

Corentin Tolisso – 6

Malick Fofana – 7

Afforded far too much space, the Belgian international attacker looked menacing every time he received the ball. Following quick feet and intelligence to not one, but two defenders, he opened the scoring with a well-taken finish. His ability to find space behind Kouao offered a constant outball for Les Gones.

Georges Mikautadze – 5

Selected Metz player ratings:

Koffi Kouao – 5

It was a mixed night for the Ivorian. The right-back looked the most dangerous player on the pitch for Les Grenats and created several half-chances – none of which were put away. However, he struggled with the task of defending against Fofana, and the Belgian attacker was afforded too much space.

Giorgi Abuashvili – 5

Brian Madjo – 4

GFFN | Liam Wraith