Saturday, August 7, 2021 at 6:50 PM• Mart Oude Nijeweeme

Peter Bosz experienced a false start on Saturday evening as the trainer of Olympique Lyon. The coach did not get further than a 1-1 draw at home on the opening day of Ligue 1 against Stade Brest, the number seventeen of last season in France. Marco Bizot made his debut between the posts at Brest. The goalkeeper came over from AZ this week and immediately gained the confidence of trainer Michel Der Zakarian.

Bosz had a mixed preparation with Lyon. The Dutchman won, among other things, against the VfL Wolfsburg from Mark van Bommel, but did not book a single victory in the last three exhibition games. In particular, the 5-3 defeat against FC Porto hurt. “I’m happy with the progress we’ve made in the way we play, but we’re not quite ready yet. Five goals against is too much,” said Bosz. His team was not quite ready yet against Brest. In a little uplifting first half, Irvin Cardona gave the visitors the lead shortly before half-time. The attacker entered from the left and lashed out in the short corner: 0-1.

Just before the opening goal, Moussa Dembélé failed to give Lyon the lead. The striker was given plenty of time and space to strike, but was inaccurate in the rounding and shot over. In the second act a completely different game emerged and Brest had the best opportunities to quickly expand the score. However, an effort by Romain Faivre was taken off the line after a good individual play and Anthony Lopes had a feline save on a header from Brendan Chardonnet. Steve Mounie’s rebound was also a prey for the Lyon goalkeeper.

Bosz then tried to force an offensive offensively and brought in Islam Slimani, among others, after an hour of play. Cold in the field, the Algerian equalized. After a cross from Léo Dubois, Karl Toko Ekambi put the ball on a silver platter for Slimani, who scored the equalizer two minutes after his substitute. Lyon pressed on for victory in the last quarter of the game, but failed to do so. A header by Dembélé on a pass from Houssem Aouar went right past the crossing and Slimani screamed in vain for a penalty after a push in the back.