Lyon edges Crystal Palace 3-2 in Europa League thriller
- Lyon secured a 3-2 victory over Crystal Palace at the Groupama Stadium.
- Corentin Tolisso, Ernest Nuamah, and Pavel Sulc scored for the French side.
- Yeremy Pino and Daichi Kamada netted goals for the visiting Eagles.
- Lyon goalkeeper Dominik Greif made a decisive save in the 89th minute.
- Crystal Palace manager Pierre Sage faced his former club for the first time.
Lyon defeated Crystal Palace 3-2 in a Europa League match at Groupama Stadium on October 15, 2026. Lyon manager Paulo Fonseca led the team to their second victory in the tournament. The match was a return to his former club for Crystal Palace manager Pierre Sage. The 2026-2027 Europa League tournament runs from September 16, 2026, to May 26, 2027. Kickoff was scheduled for 23:45 WIB.
Lyon establishes two-goal lead in first half
Lyon held a 2-0 lead at half-time. Captain Corentin Tolisso opened the scoring in the 8th minute after a corner from Ernest Nuamah. Nuamah added a second goal in the 45+2nd minute following a combination with Keito Nakamura and Khalis Merah. Pavel Sulc scored in the 76th minute after a center from Noah Nartey, with the shot deflected into the net. Merah and Nartey were starters for Lyon.
Crystal Palace attempts second-half comeback
Crystal Palace narrowed the deficit in the second half. Yeremy Pino scored in the 50th minute after an assist from Adam Wharton. Daichi Kamada scored in the 81st minute following a clearance from Tyler Morton that was blocked by Tanner Tessmann.
Dominik Greif secures victory with late save
Lyon goalkeeper Dominik Greif secured the win with a save in the final minutes. Greif stopped a header at the 90th minute to preserve the one-goal lead. The goalkeeper is also referred to as Rémy Greif.
Pierre Sage reflects on return to former club
Pierre Sage managed Lyon from November 2023 to January 2025 before his dismissal by John Textor. Before the match, Sage said he "se sentait toujours chez lui à Lyon". He told reporters that while he considered the match a special occasion, emotional ties would not distract the team from the tactical plan.
Tactical formations and team selections
Lyon played in a 4-3-3 formation without Loïs Openda, Julien Duranville, and Tyler Morton. Crystal Palace used a 3-4-2-1 formation without Adam Wharton and Jean-Philippe Mateta.
European campaign context and recent form
Lyon entered the Europa League after failing to qualify for the Champions League in August 2026. The club previously defeated Anderlecht in the first round of the Europa League. Paulo Fonseca made eight changes to his starting lineup for that match. Lyon recently lost 2-1 to Lens in Ligue 1, ending a 5-match unbeaten streak. Crystal Palace won four of their last 6 matches in all competitions. The team beat Lech Poznan 4-0 in their Europa League opener and Nottingham Forest 3-1 in the Premier League on October 11, 2026. Palace has won only one of their last 8 away matches. Sage previously managed Lens and recorded one win, one draw, and one defeat against Lyon last season. This is the first competitive meeting between Lyon and Crystal Palace. Palace are the reigning Conference League champions. Lyon has won 8 of 27 meetings with English clubs.
Upcoming schedule for Lyon
Lyon plays Nice on Sunday at 20:45 at Groupama Stadium. The club travels to Hoffenheim next Thursday at 21:00 for a European fixture.
Multi-club ownership controversy involving UEFA
UEFA revoked Crystal Palace's spot in the 2025/26 Europa League, which the club earned by winning the FA Cup. The club was relegated to the Conference League due to multi-club ownership rules. John Textor, who owns Lyon, also holds stakes in Crystal Palace, Botafogo, and RWD Molenbeek. Federation rules prohibit two entities under the "decisive influence" of the same person from competing in the same competition. Lyon secured a European spot while under Eagle Football's control, triggering intervention from the Club Financial Control Body. President Steve Parish called the situation "one of the greatest injustices ever to happen in European football". The issue is a political topic for UEFA. Other clubs including Drogheda United and Dunajská Streda faced similar restrictions. Parish said: "Either you accept multi-ownerships" or "you ban them outright". A report by The Guardian noted the debate has prompted a regulatory turning point regarding how to handle such situations.
Frequently Asked Questions
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