Lyon entered the Coupe de France Quarter Final aiming to extend their impressive streak of five consecutive wins under the guidance of Pierre Sage, facing off against Patrick Vieira’s Strasbourg.
In the early stages, Lyon displayed a proactive approach, with Benrahma registering their first shot of the game, albeit without troubling Strasbourg’s goalkeeper Bellaarouch. Shortly after, Benrahma turned provider, setting up Caqueret for an attempt from the edge of the box, which unfortunately sailed wide.
Despite Lyon’s dominance in possession, they struggled to break down Strasbourg’s organized defense, with Vieira’s side adopting a low block, limiting Lyon’s chances and forcing them to attack through wide channels or play in front of the defensive line. As a result, the first half ended with the scores level.
Benrahma continued to pose a threat in the second half, coming close to breaking the deadlock with a bending effort and hitting the post directly from a corner. Lyon’s frustration in front of goal was evident, highlighting Strasbourg’s effective defensive setup.
In the closing stages, Lyon had a promising opportunity through Benrahma, but his close-range effort was well defended. Tempers flared briefly after a Strasbourg free kick, but the situation was swiftly diffused.
With no goals scored after 90 minutes, the match went to penalties, where Lyon emerged victorious as Strasbourg’s Lucas Perrin missed the decisive spot-kick. Although Lyon’s winning streak came to an end, they remain optimistic as they continue their pursuit of elusive silverware.
Lyon player ratings:
Lucas Perri – 7, The Brazilian made a decisive save in the shootout to give Lyon an early advantage and did not put a foot wrong in regulation time.
Ainsley Maitland-Niles – 5
Duje Ćaleta-Car – 5
Jake O’Brien – 5
Nicolás Tagliafico – 6
Caqueret (head bandage)
Nemanja Matić – 5
Maxence Caqueret – 7, Complete in an attacking and defensive sense is the only way to describe Caqueret. The midfielder was influential with and without the ball and heavily involved in the majority of OL’s positive phases of attacking play.
Orel Mangala – 5
Ernest Nuamah – 6
Alexandre Lacazette – 5
Saïd Benrahma – 7, Menacingly, Benrahma caused problems constantly for the Strasbourg defence all night from the left flank. Whether coming inside or taking the ball to the byline, the West Ham loanee was imperious with the ball at his feet and created several openings both for himself and teammates.
