After being called “One of the worst Manchester United goalkeepers” by Nemanja Matic, Andre Onana made two mistakes against the Lyon team from the midfielder while the French team obtained a 2-2 draw against the Red Devils in the Europa League.
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A Rayan Cherki stop finish earned Olympique Lyonnais a 2-2 2-2 draw with Manchester United during the first leg of their quarter-final of the Europa League on Thursday, with the errors of the goalkeeper Andre Onana costing by his dear side.
Onana was the center of attention in the Groupama stadium after her war of pre-match words with the Lyon midfielder Nemanja Matic, and the pressure exerted as his error offered Thiago Almada a 25th minute opening match.
An appropriate equalizer at the half-time of Leny Yoro, the first objective of the young central defender for United since his entry into the tight season, accumulated things, before the late head of Joshua Zirkzee obtained the victory for visitors.
Cherki, however, capitalized on another Onana error, when Cameroonian could only push the shot of Georges Mikautadze towards him, refusing to United a victory to galvanize their disappointing season.
“We are really disappointed (to concede late),” said United Ruben Amorim boss in TNT Sports. “We should have taken an advantage in a goal in the next game, but we have the next home game – we will try to win this match.
“When a player has a mistake, the whole team has a mistake, so we continue like that.”
Onana faces heat at the Lyon stadium
Despite all their national difficulties, the Europa League was a refuge for United this season, with the Amorim team in Thursday’s first leg as the only team of this year’s competition without defeat.
Visitors started well, creating the best openings – with the Danish striker Rasmus Hojlund wasting a glorious early chance. This miss turned out to be expensive, because Onana’s error offered Lyon l’Oopeur to Lyon.
The pre-match speech had been focused on the confrontation between Onana and the former midfielder United Matic. Onana had declared that United was “much better” than their French opponents, with Matic biting back, qualifying the Stopper Uni of one of the worst goalkeepers in the history of the club.
Onana Errets in Europe … pic.twitter.com/BLLKV93TGZ https://t.co/qoy6zzynfh
– AB (@utdabzi_) April 10, 2025
“It was not at all a strategy of Nemanja Matic,” said Lyon coach Paulo Fonseca. “I think it’s something normal.
“Of course, we must respect everyone’s opinion and I think that Nemanja and Andre Onana have forgotten this tonight, so everything is fine.”
Onana suffered a lot of abuse from supporters at home each time he touched the ball, with the blatant error that allowed Almada’s free kick to derive while helping her cause.
United did not drop their heads, however, with Yoro doing well to guide Manuel Ugarte’s strike in the net with his head, the central center becoming the youngest defender of the club to score in Europe.
United withdrew in the second half, with Lyon passing several big chance before Bruno Fernandes chose Zirkzee to trigger wild celebration scenes, before Joy quickly turned to despair in time.
