Have we buried the Lyonnais too quickly? Peter Bosz’s players signed a dashing success against Bordeaux (6-1), Sunday April 17, to relaunch themselves in the race for Europe. The dark looks at the end of elimination against West Ham (0-3), Thursday, gave way to a cheerful and determined team. Here is OL eighth, four points behind fifth, Strasbourg. Opposite, another shipwreck for the Girondins, extremely friable and still 19th, seven days from the end. #teamOL wins (6-1) against Bordeaux!
Still 6 games to play, we don’t let go #OLFCGB pic.twitter.com/7jxyhAGxDt
— Olympique Lyonnais (@OL) April 17, 2022
The contrast is striking. Ineffective this week, the Rhone attack never found the target in seventeen attempts against the Hammers. Against Bordeaux, it took four shots to score… three goals. Inspired, the Lyon fireworks were. Apart from Mateus Tetê, all OL’s attacking players scored: Moussa Dembélé with a double (20th, 90th +2), Karl Toko-Ekambi twice (27th, 68th), Lucas Paqueta (34th) and Romain Faivre (46th) feasted on the gifts offered by the Gironde defense.
Now undefeated for four games, Lyon have finally found some semblance of consistency. The European places remain hypothetical, since Nice, Monaco and Lens have all won this weekend. But OL benefit from a favorable calendar and, apart from a trip to Marseille, will face teams ranked behind them.
In the midst of the Bordeaux slump, goalkeeper Gaëtan Poussin experienced an ordeal at Groupama Stadium. His completely missed clearance gave a goal gag to Karl Toko-Ekambi. In the process, his poorly controlled outing led to the third goal, scored by Paqueta. Chambered by the Lyon public on each ball touched, the young goalkeeper closed his angle badly on a shot from Henrique on the post. “We missed it because of me, and I assume”he reacted laconically to the microphone of Canal +.
46′ So goal on kick-off. [4-0] #OLFCGB
– FC Girondins de Bordeaux (@girondins) April 17, 2022
Rest assured, Poussin was not the only one to nip Bordeaux hopes in the bud. With a disturbing apathy, the Girondin defenders redoubled their clumsiness. Romain Faivre’s goal, ten seconds after the start of the second period, is caricatural in this sense. Worst European rearguard, Bordeaux conceded at least three goals for the fourteenth time this season. The semblance of stability observed since the arrival of David Guion has been shattered.
The late penalty transformed by Sékou Mara (85th) does not change anything, the Girondins plunge again. The direct competitors Troyes, Saint-Etienne, Clermont and Metz having all taken points, the Bordelais are now three points behind the barrage. The reception of the Greens, 17th, Tuesday, will be capital.