Lyon loses first Europa League match

On Thursday, October 22, Lyon suffered their first defeat of the season in the Europa League, losing 3-0 to Hoffenheim in a match held in Germany. The loss ends Lyon’s perfect record after victories over Anderlecht and Crystal Palace earlier in the competition.

Coach rotates squad

Paulo Fonseca, the Portuguese coach, decided to rotate his squad for the match, leaving players like Corentin Tolisso and Moussa Niakhaté on the bench at kickoff. This decision did not yield the desired results as Lyon struggled to maintain their earlier form.

Early chances and missed opportunities

Lyon had a strong start to the match, with Keito Nakamura testing German goalkeeper Oliver Baumann in the 10th minute. Another chance came in the 37th minute from Kaïl Boudache, but Hoffenheim gradually took control of the game.

Hoffenheim scores first goal

Robin Hranac’s header hit the crossbar in the 20th minute, and the Germans finally found the breakthrough just before halftime. Andrej Kramaric opened the scoring with a header in added time (45th +4), giving Hoffenheim the lead going into the break.

Second half struggles

The return to the dressing rooms proved to be a nightmare for Lyon. A series of errors in Lyon's restart allowed Adam Daghim to double the lead as early as the 49th minute. Lyon struggled to regain momentum, managing only one shot in the second half, none of which were on target.

Third goal and injury concern

Hoffenheim extended their lead with a third goal by Adam Hlozek in the 83rd minute. The evening was also marked by the injury of Steeve Kango, who was carried off on a stretcher in the 31st minute after a violent collision. With this 3-0 defeat, Lyon remains on six points after three rounds of the Europa League. The performance raises questions ahead of their next big appointment, an away match against Paris Saint-Germain, whose scheduling remains uncertain due to demonstrations announced this weekend.