A dramatic night at the Groupama Stadium ended in frustration for Manchester United, as a pair of costly errors from goalkeeper Andre Onana allowed Olympique Lyon to escape with a 2-2 draw in the first leg of their UEFA Europa League quarter-final.
United looked to have snatched a late win through Joshua Zirkzee’s 88th-minute header, but a stoppage-time equaliser from Rayan Cherki—after Onana spilled a routine save—leaves the tie finely balanced heading into the return leg at Old Trafford next Thursday.
Onana Under Fire Early
It was a night to forget for the United keeper. In the 25th minute, Thiago Almada whipped in a wide free-kick that appeared manageable, but Onana failed to get a strong hand on it, and the ball nestled into the far corner. The mistake gifted Lyon the opener and shifted momentum in the hosts’ favour.
United responded well, and just before the break, they drew level. A long-range volley from Manuel Ugarte deflected off a Lyon defender and fell kindly to 18-year-old defender Leny Yoro, who reacted quickly to stab the ball into the bottom corner—his first goal for the club in what could prove to be a crucial moment in the tie.
Zirkzee Makes His Mark—But It’s Not Enough
The second half saw both sides probing but unable to break the deadlock. It looked like Ruben Amorim had made the perfect substitution when Joshua Zirkzee rose to meet Bruno Fernandes’ looping cross in the 88th minute, heading home to give United a 2-1 lead and what seemed like a hard-fought away victory.
However, disaster struck in the dying seconds of stoppage time. A speculative shot from Georges Mikautadze appeared to be a routine save, but Onana fumbled it into the path of Rayan Cherki, who calmly tapped in the rebound. The Lyon fans erupted, and United were left to rue another late lapse.
What Comes Next
The result means United take two away goals back to Old Trafford, but the nature of Lyon’s late equaliser ensures that the tie is wide open. Ten Hag will have much to think about—particularly in goal—while Lyon will feel confident they can go toe-to-toe with the Premier League side.
The second leg kicks off next Thursday at 20:00 BST, with a semi-final place on the line—and both teams knowing there’s no room for error.
