Lyon beat Crystal Palace 3-2 on Thursday, handing the Eagles their first Europa League defeat of the season despite an improved second-half performance in France.
Corentin Tolisso, Ernest Nuamah and Pavel Sulc scored for the hosts, while Yeremy Pino and Daichi Kamada replied for Palace.
The result was a disappointing return to Lyon for Palace manager Pierre Sage, who coached the French club between November 2023 and January 2025.
Palace arrived for their first-ever away Europa League fixture hoping to build on a convincing 4-0 opening win over Lech Poznan. They started poorly, however, and conceded after just eight minutes. Tolisso reacted quickest to a loose ball following Nuamah’s corner.
Lyon Extend Their Lead
The early setback left Palace chasing the game. Lyon controlled proceedings and limited the visitors’ attacking chances. Ismaila Sarr threatened an equaliser with a header that was tipped over the bar, but the French side remained the more dangerous team.
Lyon doubled their advantage shortly before half-time. Keito Nakamura created an opening for Nuamah, who finished clinically beyond Walter Benitez.
Palace Fight Back
Palace emerged from the interval with renewed purpose and reduced the deficit five minutes into the second half. Adam Wharton produced an excellent pass following a short corner, allowing Pino to fire emphatically into the roof of the net.
The goal transformed the contest, and Palace began applying sustained pressure on the Lyon defence. Jorgen Strand Larsen squandered two headed opportunities, while Lyon goalkeeper Dominik Greif denied Kamada from close range.
Late Goals Decide the Match
Palace were punished for failing to convert their chances. With 15 minutes remaining, Sulc cleverly redirected Nakamura’s effort into the bottom corner. The visitors refused to surrender, and Kamada capitalised on defensive confusion five minutes later to restore hope.
Palace continued pushing for an equaliser, but Greif produced a crucial late save to deny Chris Richards‘ header.
The defeat ended Palace’s three-match unbeaten run across all competitions. They have taken three points from their opening two Europa League fixtures. Lyon, meanwhile, maintained their perfect start to the league phase with successive victories.
The fixture carried extra significance because Palace were controversially excluded from last season’s Europa League due to multi-club ownership regulations involving Lyon. Palace subsequently won the Conference League to secure qualification for this season’s competition.
Sage will be frustrated by his team’s defensive mistakes and wasteful finishing, particularly after their encouraging second-half response. Palace must now regroup ahead of Sunday’s Premier League match against Brighton before travelling to face Besiktas in their next European fixture.