In the end, Manchester United weren’t way better than Lyon, as Andre Onana had suggested. But they were still good enough to get a draw here in France and that may be enough to see them through to the semi-finals of the Europa League next week.
This was an embarrassing night for Onana. Embroiled in a public spat with former United midfielder Nemanja Matic before this tie, he was at fault for Lyon going ahead midway through the first half through Thiago Almada’s free kick and then allowed a shot from Georges Mikautadze to get away from him deep into injury-time which gave Rayan Cherki the chance to dink a last-gasp equaliser over him.
But Ruben Amorim’s side remain unbeaten in Europe this season and they dug deep again with goals from former Lille defender Leny Yoro on his return to France and then a late header from substitute Joshua Zirkzee which looked to have won it.
Bruno Fernandes clipped a cross towards the back post in the 88th minute and Zirkzee had drifted away from his marker Clinton Mata just enough to guide a header beyond goalkeeper Lucas Perri.
So United will be marginal favourites when the two teams meet again at Old Trafford in a week’s time, even though there was more than enough evidence to suggest the fifth-placed team in Ligue 1 will not go down without a fight.
Not all the 3,000 United fans in Lyon for this game were in the Groupama Stadium by kick-off time, a breakdown of the metro underground and tram services in the city on Thursday adding to an already convoluted system that involved them collecting wristbands at a venue 10km away from the ground.
Andre Onana was at fault for both goals as Manchester United drew 2-2 with Lyon
Onana spilled a shot in the dying stages to allow Rayan Cherki to score from close range
The United goalkeeper had allowed a crossed free-kick to creep in during the first half
Joshua Zirkzee thought he had scored the winner when he scored in the 88th minute
But there was no shortage of French supporters happy to create a raucous atmosphere inside the stadium.
‘Honour this coat of arms and fight like lions’ read a huge banner across the Virage Nord before the start, and Paul Akouokou obliged by going through the back of Alejandro Garnacho inside the first minute.
Amorim picked an unchanged line-up from Sunday’s goalless Manchester derby presumably because he was happy with the job his team did in containing Manchester City in another game he first and foremost did not want to lose, and for 25 minutes they did a good job of soaking up the early pressure here.
In fact, it was United who had the more clear-cut chances up to that point with Patrick Dorgu pulling the ball back for Rasmus Hojlund whose finish was that of a striker desperately lacking in form and confidence.
Diogo Dalot then played Garnacho and his pass was met by a first-time effort from captain Bruno Fernandes which took a nick off Moussa Niakhate and flew just over the bar.
Onana had very little to do at that point even though his every touch had been loudly jeered by the home fans as a result of his pre-match spat with Lyon midfielder Nemanja Matic, the former United man branding him one of the worst keepers in the club’s history after he said Amorim’s side were way better than their French opponents.
Onana had pointed out that, unlike Matic, he has won a trophy at United and he seemed to shrug off the abuse from the home fans as he took his time playing out from the back.
But you have to back up these boasts and he was at fault for Lyon’s opening goal in the 25th minute after Noussair Mazraoui fouled Nicolas Tagliafico.
Cherki wheels away in celebration as Onana appeals to the referee for a non-existent offside
Zirkzee (left) headed home at the back post to give united the lead for the first time on the night
Thiago Almada delivered an inswinger from the left touchline and it bounced inside the far post past Onana who was clearly expecting someone to get a touch on the ball.
It was not unlike the goal he conceded to Ipswich’s Jaden Philogene in similar circumstances at Old Trafford in February.
A penny for Matic’s thoughts or perhaps United’s co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe, sat in the stands here, who named Onana as one of the players he suggested either wasn’t good enough or overpaid in a series of interviews last month.
‘He is probably wishing he kept his mouth shut, it’s a really bad mistake,’ former United midfielder Paul Scholes told TNT Sports. ‘I’m not sure what the keeper is trying to do, the ball bounces right in front of him – it’s an awful mistake.’
United were certainly on the ropes as the noise inside the Groupama Stadium rose another few decibels. Dalot was booked for a late challenge on Tagliafico and it needed a fantastic interception tackle by Mazraoui in first half injury-time to prevent Mikautadze setting up a breakaway goal that would have left United with an uphill battle.
But they were level with the last action of the half. Goalkeeper Lucas Perri palmed away Fernandes’ freekick and Manuel Ugarte hooked the ball back into the box for Yoro to nod it in from close-range and score his first goal for United.
Mikautadze caused United no end of problems and no sooner had Ugarte been booked for fouling him than the Georgia international left Mazraoui for dead and crossed for substitute Alexandre Lacazette to volley wide.
Yoro clearly had an eye for goal now and he drilled a shot narrowly wide after a mazy run in from the left just after the hour mark.
Leny Yoro had drawn the visiting side level with a glancing header shortly before half-time
Yoro celebrates after scoring the equaliser in the first leg of the Europa League quarter-final
But United were nearly undone again as Clorentin Tolisso tricked his way past Ugarte and Yoro to leave himself with only Onana to beat from 10 yards but fired straight at the keeper for some reason.
Unforgivably, Garnacho then over-hit a pass to Fernandes when it looked like United would score on the break, and then saw an effort kept out by Perri at point-blank range.
Zirkzee thought he had won it with his header but Cherki scored at the death to make it all square.
However, Amorim would have settled for this result before kick-off and it’s one that nudges his team a little closer to the final in Bilbao next month. Advantage United.
