Manchester United were denied a crucial away victory in the Europa League quarter-final first leg after a dramatic last-minute equaliser from Lyon’s Rayan Cherki. The game, which ended 2-2 at the Groupama Stadium, was defined by two significant errors from United goalkeeper Andre Onana, who endured a night to forget in France.
United Look to Bounce Back from Domestic Woes
Coming off a disappointing domestic campaign, United arrived in Lyon hoping to gain a vital advantage in Europe. Though their Premier League form has faltered, they remained unbeaten in the Europa League under Ruben Amorim, raising hopes that continental success could salvage their season.
United made several key changes, with Joshua Zirkzee and Manuel Ugarte coming off the bench to play major roles. Youngster Leny Yoro was also given a start and proved pivotal in the first half.
Onana’s Early Blunder Hands Lyon the Lead
Lyon opened the scoring midway through the first half after a costly mistake by Onana. Thiago Almada whipped in a curling free-kick from the left, and the Cameroonian keeper misjudged the flight of the ball, allowing it to bounce inside the far post untouched. The goal echoed previous errors by Onana, who has now been directly responsible for eight goals this season — the most by any Premier League keeper across all competitions.
The atmosphere at the Groupama Stadium grew louder as the French crowd sensed their team could capitalise on United’s defensive instability. Lyon applied more pressure, with Diogo Dalot earning a yellow card for a reckless challenge and Noussair Mazraoui needing to make a crucial interception in first-half stoppage time to keep the deficit at one.
Yoro Draws United Level Before the Break
Despite a shaky first half, United went into the break on level terms. In added time, Bruno Fernandes’ free-kick was parried by Lyon keeper Lucas Perri, and the rebound was recycled into the box by Ugarte. It found Yoro, who rose to head home his first goal for the club on his return to France.
The goal shifted the momentum, with United showing more composure in the second half and slowly regaining control of the game.
Zirkzee Sparks Late Celebrations for United
Amorim’s substitutions paid off late in the second half. Rasmus Højlund struggled to make an impact, prompting the introduction of Joshua Zirkzee. The change proved vital in the 88th minute when Fernandes floated a precise cross to the back post, where Zirkzee peeled away from his marker to head home and give United a 2-1 lead. It was a goal that looked set to hand the Red Devils a narrow but valuable away win.
Cherki Capitalises on Onana’s Second Error
However, Lyon weren’t done. In the dying moments of added time, Georges Mikautadze tested Onana with a shot that the keeper failed to hold. The rebound spilled directly into the path of Rayan Cherki, who calmly lifted the ball over Onana with a clever finish to make it 2-2. The late equaliser marked the latest goal United have ever conceded in the Europa League.
GOAL | Lyon 2-2 Manchester United | Ryan Cherki
RYAN CHERKI HAS EQUALIZED IN THE 95TH MINUTE FOR LYON !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!pic.twitter.com/eUM7v0xmaS
— Tekkers Foot (@tekkersfoot) April 10, 2025
The home crowd erupted, while Onana stood frustrated, appealing in vain for an offside call that never came. It was another blemish on a tough season for the Cameroonian, whose pre-match spat with Nemanja Matic over his comments about Lyon now appears particularly ill-timed.
Amorim Reflects on Missed Opportunity
United boss Ruben Amorim, though visibly frustrated by the result, remained optimistic ahead of the return leg. “We are really disappointed,” he said. “We should have taken the one-goal advantage, but the next game is at home and we will try and win it.” Despite the two goals conceded, Amorim will take some comfort from the attacking performance and the resilience shown to come from behind twice.
Tie finely balanced ahead of return leg at Old Trafford
With the tie finely poised at 2-2, Manchester United now return to Old Trafford next week needing a win to progress to the Europa League semi-finals. Given their home form and European pedigree, they will feel confident—but Lyon’s ability to capitalise on defensive lapses leaves the tie wide open.
Onana’s errors will undoubtedly dominate the post-match narrative, and Amorim may face a tough decision about whether to stick with the under-fire keeper or consider alternatives. Meanwhile, Lyon will travel to Manchester with belief and momentum, knowing they can hurt this United side.
As the tension builds ahead of the second leg, both teams will look to tighten their defence and seize control in what promises to be another gripping encounter.
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