Lyon 3-2 Crystal Palace: Sage makes unhappy return to former club

Pierre Sage suffered an unhappy return Lyon like his Crystal Palace was defeated 3-2 in the match Europa League.

Sage’s men claimed a 3-1 Premier League win over Nottingham Forest last Sunday but paid the price for a slow start against the side he coached from 2023-25.

Corentin Tolisso gave Lyon an early lead which was doubled by Ernest Nuamah, before Yeremy Pino halved the deficit.

Pavel Sulc restored Lyon’s two-goal lead but Daichi Kamada’s strike unnerved the Ligue 1 side, who held on to make it two wins from two to start the league stage.

Palace were punished for failing to defend a corner when Tolisso slotted home at the near post after Nuamah’s delivery bounced back to him.

Chances were few and far between from then on, but Nuamah made the most of what came in first-half stoppage time, converting Keito Nakamura’s left-footed cross at the end of a fine one-touch move from the home side.

It took Palace less than five minutes into the second half to give themselves hope, Pino slotting home after a well-worked corner routine.

Sage’s men thanked Walter Benitez for keeping the deficit at one when he headed home Abner Vinicius, before Palace saw penalty appeals withdrawn after Daichi Kamada fell in the box.

Kamada was then denied by Lyon goalkeeper Dominik Greif from point-blank range amid a goalmouth scramble, and Palace were made to pay for not finding an equalizer when Sulc skilfully slotted home after Nakamura’s effort.

But Kamada finally got his goal when he slotted in after good work down the right from Anan Khalaili.

Lyon rarely looked comfortable protecting their slender lead, and it took a brilliant save from Greif to preserve victory for Paulo Fonseca’s side when he headed past Chris Richards.

The UEFA Europa League table

Next matches of Lyon and Crystal Palace