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1st Team

OM - Lyon (2-3) | Late heartbreak for OM

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OM.net
On Sunday 18 March 2018 at 10:08

OM succumbed to a disappointing 2-3 defeat to Lyon at Orange Vélodrome this evening, a result that keeps the race for third open.

On a high after qualifying for the UEFA Europa League quarter-final, OM sought a second exploit against a direct rival to cap off a fantastic two weeks.

In a sold-out Velodrome with over 60,000 fans, it proved to be a highly charged affair as OM sought the early breakthrough.

Dimitri Payet had a first chance well saved by Anthony Lopes, before Steve Mandanda produced a wonderful stop to deny Bertrand Traore.

The breakthrough came on 31 minutes. From a set-piece situation, it was Rolando who got the important touch to steer the ball past Lopes and send the stadium into raptures.

Lyon, still wounded by their own Europa elimination on Thursday mounted a strong response. And they got their own goal just before the break. A wicked cross from Tanguy Ndombele was turned in by Adil Rami into his own net on 42 mins.

OM struggled in the second period, and were duly punished. Houssem Aouar curled a neat finish past Mandanda to give Lyon the advantage.

Mandanda again denied Traore in the 2nd half to keep the score within reach before Kostas Mitroglou - off the bench - turned up with a great header to equalise with just minutes to go.

When it looked like OM may have snatched a point, heartbreak was to come. At the other end, Memphis Depay notched the winner in injury time to seal a 2-3 victory for Lyon.

OM remain in 3rd place on 59 points, just 2 clear of the visitors, and will rue a missed chance to settle the podium race. Instead, we go on after the international break.