While it could have temporarily climbed onto the podium with a win, Lyon remains stuck in 5th place with 48 points and under the threat of Monaco (46 pts) who play Marseille later in the evening. For SCO (12th), on the other hand, the 33rd point of the season is always welcomed in their quest for a very close safety, even if it is not yet mathematically secured.
The break was not necessarily easy for its internationals, but OL hoped to regain momentum and end its run of five winless matches, including three defeats in Ligue 1, in addition to being knocked out by Celta Vigo in the Europa League.
Sunday 3 pm matches rarely offer a frantic pace, but that is certainly not the only reason for this particularly laborious performance from a team aiming for Champions League qualification. Without inspiration and cutting edge, the spark never came against the well-organized and disciplined Angevins, who lacked ambition in their play.
Against an opponent they had beaten eleven times in the last twelve encounters, Lyon had to do much better. Only Afonso Moreira, on the left, brought movement and life, contrasting with Endrick who was completely neutralized by Jacques Ekomi and company before being substituted in the 73rd minute.
Sulc and Tolisso injured
The physical state of Paulo Fonseca’s players was also evident with the exits of Pavel Sulc in the 55th minute, after being examined on the ground by the doctor, and Corentin Tolisso in the 64th minute. The Lyon captain had been struggling and touching his left thigh after a shot in the 48th minute, easily saved by Koffi but the first semblance of a chance in the match.
The substitutions on both sides slightly changed the end of the game, with Angers taking more chances after the introduction of Prosper Peter (68th), but also offering more space to the visitors, to whom they too often returned the ball too quickly.
Roman Yaremchuk, Sulc’s replacement, added weight up front, Rachid Ghezzal, who had replaced Tolisso, added verticality in his passes, and Khalis Merah added movement, but Lyon still struggled to create more than a few confused situations in front of the opponent’s goal.
