Orban at the double as Lyon come back to edge Strasbourg in seven-goal epic
With two losses and zero goals to their name before tonight, Lyon could not have made a worse start.
After two minutes, Dilane Bakwa’s low cross was not dealt with by Clinton Mata and the loose ball was picked up by Sebastian Nanasi, who kept his composure and steered the ball past goalkeeper Lucas Perri for his first goal since arriving from Malmo.
Lyon hearts were in mouths again when Emanuel Emegha beat the offside trap and latched onto Andrey Santos’ through ball, only for Perri to make himself big and keep the shot out.
Having weathered the early storm, Pierre Sage’s men saw an Abner corner after 30 minutes met at the near post by a thunderous Moussa Niakhate header, which forced an incredible reaction save from Karl-Johan Johnsson, who tipped it onto the crossbar.
Johnsson was regularly frustrating Georges Mikautadze, in search of his first Lyon goal, but he was powerless to stop the Lyon equaliser in added time.
Lacazette’s strike from inside the box cannoned off the post and out to Tolisso, whose rebound deflected off Felix Lemarechal and past the goalkeeper.
Losing the lead on the stroke of half-time did nothing to faze Rosenior’s side, who again found the net within three minutes of kick-off.
A cleared corner was played back out to its taker, Bakwa, who curled a cross to Santos at the back post, who guided it home with his head.
Le Racing pressed for a third goal, and it arrived just before the hour mark when Emegha again was played through, this time by Caleb Wiley, and though Perri again got a touch, Emegha’s shot did just enough to beat the goalkeeper and give Strasbourg a two-goal lead.
That lead was halved again just three minutes later when Lacazette was again denied by the woodwork after Johnsson tipped his effort onto the bar, but once more there was a Lyon man on hand to tuck away the rebound - Ainsley Maitland-Niles applied the finish and made it 2-3.
But the manic period of the game was not over, as two minutes later the ball was played through to Lacazette on the left side of the penalty area, and he crossed for Gift Orban, who stretched out his right foot and diverted the ball in off the post.
Originally ruled out for offside, a VAR check awarded the goal and Lyon were level again.
Not content with a point, Lyon kept attacking, and when Malick Fofana was afforded space on the left wing, he made no mistake picking out Orban with a deft cross, and the Nigerian powered the ball into the bottom corner to give the hosts their first lead of the game.
Strasbourg could not find an equaliser and now have one win in 10 on the road, as Lyon move to eight competitive wins in 12.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Gift Orban (Lyon)
