PLAYER RATINGS | Hoffenheim 2-2 Lyon: Late drama sees OL’s celebrations cut short | OneFootball

After a disappointing defeat to Besiktas last time around in Europe, Lyon were hoping to regain momentum in the Europa League as they travelled to Germany to face Hoffenheim. Pierre Sage heavily rotated for the match against the Bundesliga club – making ten changes to the team that drew 1-1 with Lille in Ligue last time out.

Kramarić almost handed the German side the lead after a clumsy charge out of his area from Desamps on his Lyon debut. Luckily for the French stopper, a covering defender was able to block the shot. The first half offered little by the way of chances. Both teams had their moments, with the hosts looking the most likely to open the scoring in the opening 45 minutes of the match.

Just two minutes after the break, it would be Hoffenheim who opened the scoring. Bischoff was able to escape into space down the left flank and pick out Valentin Gendrey in the area. After good movement from the Frenchman, he finished with aplomb beyond Descamps. The Bundesliga side continued to press forward with Moerstedt going close, but his shot whistled past the post.

Ćaleta-Car went close to levelling the game from a corner. However, he couldn’t guide his header goalwards, and his effort went wide. As Lyon began to find a foothold in the game, Orban escaped freely in behind, but Chaves was able to recover and block his effort. Following a quadruple substitution, OL equalised. Alterations made Lyon more fluid in attack with Lacazette and Cherki linking up well in the build-up to the goal before the ball fell to Abner to rifle his effort home.

Lacazette gave Lyon the lead in stoppage time with a brilliantly taken finish on the turn following a knock-down from Duje Ćaleta-Car from a corner. Just as Les Gones thought they had won the match, the hosts had other ideas. The ball fell to Tohumcu on the edge of the area to drive the ball home. A sickener at the death for OL saw the points shared.

Lyon player ratings:

Remy Descamps: 5 – Despite a shaky start to the match, the goalkeeper grew into his Lyon debut in the second half. Making an almost calamitous error in the first half, the French stopper recovered and made a couple of important stops to keep OL in the game late in the match.

Saël Kumbedi: 5

Clinton Mata: 5

Duje Ćaleta-Car: 6

Warmed Omari: 5

Abner: 6

Maxence Caqueret: 5

Tanner Tessmann: 5

Saïd Benrahma: 5

Gift Orban: 6

Georges Mikautadze: 4 – Despite finally getting off the mark for his boyhood club in recent weeks, it was another difficult night in front of goal for the Georgian international. Chances were hard to come by with his counterpart, Orban, who is also vying for more minutes, looking more dangerous in the final third before they were both subbed off on the hour mark.

GFFN | Liam Wraith