Rangers suffer heavy Europa League defeat at home to Lyon

Posted Friday, October 04, 2024 by PA

Rangers found lively Lyon too hot to handle in a 4-1 Europa League drubbing at Ibrox.

Philippe Clement’s side missed two good chances before 19-year-old Belgian Malick Fofana curled in the opener after 10 minutes which began an exacting night for the home side.

Gers midfielder Tom Lawrence did level in the 14th minute but captain Alexandre Lacazette restored the French side’s lead five minutes later, with the 33-year-old former Arsenal forward thundering in a third from distance just before the break.

Fofana tapped in a second in the 55th minute for the big-spending Ligue 1 outfit who simply had too much class, and it was third win out of three for Lyon at Ibrox following successes in 2007 and 2021.

After beating Malmo 2-0 with some assurance in the first fixture of the revamped competition in Sweden last week, it was a reality check for the men from Govan and there are further tough tests down the line in the competition.

And following on from Celtic’s 7-1 Champions League demolition by Borussia Dortmund on Wednesday night, it has not been a good week for the Old Firm who will go back to their domestic battle this weekend.

There were a clutch of other top players in rookie boss Pierre Sage’s Lyon side, including England international Ainsley Maitland-Niles and World Cup winners, France’s Corentin Tolisso and Nicolas Tagliafico of Argentina.

Clement brought back fit-again midfielder Mohamed Diomande, wide-man Nedim Bajrami and striker Cyriel Dessers.

A burst of pressure in the fourth minute saw the Lyon defence breached but Gers skipper James Tavernier’s shot from close range was blocked by Lucas Perri.

Just after there were boos from Rangers fans when their ultras-style fan group let off fireworks high into the sky, the Lyon keeper had another save from Lawrence before winger Vaclav Cerny somehow knocked the ball high over the bar with the open goal gaping.

The slick-moving French side took the lead when Fofana almost casually finished after Rayan Cherki had opened up the hesitant Light Blues defence.

The Govan side were soon level when Lawrence slammed in from close range after Dessers had tangled with Perri as the visiting defence got themselves in a muddle, but after a mistake by Gers midfielder Connor Barron, Fofana eventually set up Lacazette to easily knock in a second from eight yards.

The game continued in breathless style and Gers keeper Jack Butland made a good save from Fofana after he had waltzed past defender John Souttar, but he had no chance when Lacazette drove high into the top corner from 25 yards in added time to silence the Gers crowd again.

Kieran Dowell replaced Lawrence for the start of the second half but he, like the rest of his team mates, was powerless to prevent Fofana knocking in a pass from Cherki with ease.

Lyon remained unsteady in defence at times but their attacking threat was constant, and in the 67th minute Duje Caleta-Car hit the bar with a header before Gers substitute Neraysho Kasanwirjo, on for Tavernier, cleared a header from Corentin Tolisso off the line.

Rangers kept going forward and Perri made a good save from a Dowell volley but Butland prevented substitute Said Benrahma making it five with a fine block, and Lyon’s threat did not end until the final whistle confirmed a chastening defeat for the Ibrox men.