The 49,000 spectators at Groupama Stadium, in Décines-Charpieu (Rhône), are not about to forget this match. Sunday, May 7, Olympique Lyonnais (OL) achieved a comeback that will mark a milestone in the history of the club. Led 4-1 by Montpellier in this meeting of the 34th day of the French championship, Laurent Blanc's men found the resources to close the gap, equalize, and finally score the winning goal after added time. Final score: 5-4.
In the 98th minute, with the scoreboard showing 4-4, Bastien Dechepy was called by his video assistant to consult a contentious action at the edge of the field. In slow motion, the referee notes the fault of Montpellier defender Christopher Jullien on Alexandre Lacazette and then points to the penalty spot. The whole stadium, already standing, exults. It was still necessary that the sentence be transformed by the Lyon captain.
Forty minutes earlier, however, the Rhone players were whistled by their public and the Ultras of the North Bend unfurled banners to show their dissatisfaction; it has become a habit this season, where OL have had a string of poor performances, confirming their gradual downgrading. Montpellier Hérault Sport Club (MHSC) then led 4-1 thanks to a quadruple from their young striker, Elye Wahi.
But in the space of two minutes, Lacazette reduced the gap (2-4, 62nd), then the crossbar of Montpellier goalkeeper Benjamin Lecomte trembled. The Lyon players then began to believe, and so did their supporters. At fault on the penalty at the origin of the third Hérault goal, the Croatian Dejan Lovren made up for it by scoring with a header (3-4, 70th). And the doubt has definitely changed sides.
"I will remember this all my life"
Facing a Montpellier team now withdrawn in front of their area, Lacazette equalized by winning, for the third time in the afternoon, a decisive pass from Bradley Barcola (4-4, 82nd). And, at the fateful moment, the "general" Lacazette did not tremble as he rushed towards the penalty spot (5-4, 99th), under the eyes of the American John Textor, the owner of the club, who came from the United States to attend the meeting.
Covered by all his teammates as one shares a decisive goal in the World Cup, he then made a lap of honor on the lawn of Groupama Stadium. "It's a game that totally sums up our season," goalkeeper Anthony Lopes told Canal . We get into the shit on our own. We lose 4-1... I then saw people leaving the stadium. But we showed strength of character. Afterwards, we are lucky to have an extraordinary player [Alexandre Lacazette] with us…”
Thanks to this unexpected victory, and thanks to the combined defeats of Lille and Rennes on Saturday, OL are back in the race for European places. The seven-time French champions find themselves just three points behind Lille (56 points, against 59), which occupies fifth place in the Ligue 1 standings. Four days from the end of the season, the suspense remains.
For the Montpellier club, the emotional lift experienced in Lyon revives old memories. On August 22, 1998, the MHSC led 4-0 at half-time at the Stade-Vélodrome, in Marseille…, before losing 5-4. Today OL coach, Laurent Blanc was present that day in the ranks of Marseille. He had then scored the last goal for his team… on a penalty.
