On 11 February, one of the matches of the 21st round of the French football championship took place. Montpellier (France) and Lyon (France) met.
French Championship, 21st round
Montpellier (France) - Lyon (France) - 1:2 (1:0)
Goals: Arnaud Nordin (23) - A. Lacazette (74), Maxence Kakeret (82)
Warnings: Tagliafico (28)
In a thrilling match between Montpellier and Lyon in Ligue 1, Lyon emerged victorious with a stunning comeback. The match was played at the iconic Stade de la Mosson-Mondial 98 stadium and was the perfect setting for an intense battle between two competitive teams. The first half of the game started with both teams looking to assert their dominance on the pitch. However, in the 23rd minute, A. Nordin scored the first goal for Montpellier, giving his team a deserved lead. Lyon, determined to get back into the game, rushed forward in search of an equaliser. Their efforts were rewarded in the 28th minute when N. Tagliafico received a yellow card, demonstrating the physicality of the game. In the second half, both teams made important substitutions in an attempt to gain an advantage over their opponents. In the 44th minute, Lyon introduced K. Tolisso and O. Mangala into the game, replacing players who had dropped out. These changes seemed to bring new energy to Lyon's attack and created more chances for the visitors. In the 57th minute, Lyon introduced three more players into the game - E. Nuam, A. Maitland-Niles and S. Benrahma, trying to turn the tide of the match in their favour. Montpellier, feeling the need for fresh legs, also made substitutions. In the 64th minute A. Nordin's place was taken by J. Karamoh. Karamokh, and in the 67th minute S. Hefti was replaced by E. Tchato.
As the game entered the closing stages, Lyon stepped up their attacks in search of an equaliser. Their efforts bore fruit in the 74th minute when A. Lacazette scored the decisive goal, levelling the score and giving Lyon hope of taking all three points. Lyon continued to gain momentum when in the 82nd minute M. Kakeret struck, putting his team in the lead for the first time in the match. In the 89th minute, Lyon replaced A. Lacazette with G. Orban to strengthen the defence and consolidate their lead. Montpellier also made two substitutions in the final minutes: T. Savanier and V. Khazri were introduced. M. Sagnan and L. Leroy were also introduced into the game. In the last minutes of the game both teams received yellow cards. J. Ferri was suspended for Montpellier, and G. Orban suffered the same fate for Lyon. In the end, the referee blew the whistle for the break, and Lyon won a hard fought 2-1 victory. This match demonstrated the thrilling nature of football and its endless drama. Both teams fought valiantly, but it was Lyon who showed their resilience and determination to take the lead and emerge victorious. Montpellier, on the other hand, can be proud of their performance but will be disappointed to have squandered their advantage. Football fans around the world witnessed a thrilling match, and this encounter between Montpellier and Lyon will surely be remembered as a fierce battle in the history of Ligue 1.
In the next round, the following matches await the rivals: Montpellier vs Metz, Lyon vs Nice.
| Montpellier | Lyon | |
|---|---|---|
| 8 | Kicks to the goal | 5 |
| 15 | Kicks | 19 |
| 3 | Blocked shots | 4 |
| 9 | Penalty kicks | 12 |
| 6 | Penalty kicks | 7 |
| 11 | Offences | 11 |
| 1 | Corner | 5 |
| 1 | Offsides | 1 |
| 45% | Ball possession | 55% |
| 1 | Yellow cards | 2 |
| 0 | Red cards | 0 |
| 3 | Keeper saves | 7 |
| 421 | Total assists | 513 |
| 344 | Accurate assists | 428 |
| 82% | Accuracy of passes | 83% |