- Manchester United drew 2:2 away to Lyon in the first leg of the Europa League quarter-finals
- André Onana was at fault for both Lyon goals
- Joshua Zirkzee’s late goal was cancelled out by Rayan Cherki in stoppage time
Key Takeaways:
Manchester United drew 2:2 away at Lyon in the first leg of their Europa League quarter-final tie. The match was marked by late drama, with the “Red Devils” seemingly heading for victory after a goal in the 88th minute, only for Lyon to equalise with literally the final kick of the game.
Tensions were also high off the pitch due to a war of words between United goalkeeper André Onana and Lyon midfielder Nemanja Matić. Onana had claimed that United were a much stronger side than Lyon, to which Matic replied that such words carry no weight when they come from “the weakest goalkeeper in Manchester United’s history”.
Matić posts a photo of his son next to Manchester United's substitute goalkeeper's shirt after Onana's horror show against Lyon. 👀 pic.twitter.com/RCuWlUTbph
— Football Tweet ⚽ (@Football__Tweet) April 11, 2025
And based on what happened on French soil, it was the Serbian who appeared to be right, as United failed to prove they were the better side – at least in the first leg – and Onana played a major role in both of Lyon’s goals.
The Cameroonian goalkeeper, who has cost his team numerous points over the past two seasons, was chiefly responsible for Lyon’s opener in the 25th minute. Thiago Almada whipped in a free kick that no player managed to touch. The ball bounced awkwardly in front of the comically diving Onana, who failed to stop it, resulting in the opening goal of the night. Yet another case where a blatant Onana error led directly to a goal against United.
The visitors needed a stroke of luck to draw level with the final action of the first half. After a poor clearance from the French defence, Ugarte sent the ball back into the box, where Leny Yoro equalised with a header. Both teams continued to deliver an entertaining second half, and in the 88th minute, Joshua Zirkzee headed home what looked like a crucial winner for United in the first leg.
But Lyon didn’t deserve to lose the match, and fate smiled on Les Gones deep into added time. After a scramble in the box, Onana palmed a shot straight into the feet of Rayan Cherki, who slotted home to make it 2:2.