Mistreated in Ligue 1 where he points to a mediocre ninth place, Lyon validated his ticket for the semi-finals of the Coupe de France by dominating (2-1) on his lawn at Groupama Stadium, his neighbor Grenoble, seventh in Ligue 2 At kick-off, the tense face of Laurent Blanc betrays the concern of the Lyon coach. The absences of Thiago Mendes, Alexandre Lacazette, Houssem Aouar, Malo Gusto and Jerome Boateng, all injured, forced him to field a team of kids.
“It can have advantages, maybe they will ask fewer questions”, slips the former coach of the Blues, as if to reassure himself. He is right. All along the line. Faced with Grenoble who evolve without complex, his players embark on an alert football where the ball circulates quickly, always forward.
Jeffinho, the stupid injury
After a first shot (4th) from Isère striker Matthias Phaëton, stopped in two stages by Anthony Lopes, Rayan Cherki, 19, responds by placing a shot just above the crossbar (9th). The domination of the Rhodaniens is becoming more and more pressing and on a cross from the Argentine defender Nicolas Tagliafico, Bradley Barcola, 20, emerges at the near post to send the ball with a crossed header into the top corner (24th, 1-0) .
He is on the verge of doubling the lead, with a header, after a series of one-touch passes (28th) but goalkeeper Esteban Salles diverts for a corner. The Jeffinho festival then begins. The young Brazilian recruit from the winter transfer window, 23, established for the first time, escapes on the left, sinks into the Grenoble defense, enters the area and deceives the goalkeeper with a low shot from the right ( 38th, 2-0). His enthusiasm cost him dearly. He connects the somersaults to celebrate his goal and is injured on the reception. He is forced to give up at halftime.
The Lyonnais were dominating in the second half, but the goal of Grenoble’s Mohamed Amine Sbaï (75th) revived the suspense, and gave some cold sweats to the players of Laurent Blanc, forced to hunker down before the release.
