Lacazette-inspired Lyon make stunning comeback to beat Montepellier in nine-goal thriller
For a Lyon side losing ground on the European spots with each passing week, welcoming bottom-half Montpellier had all the hallmarks of a must-win game. That message perhaps didn’t reach the Lyon players in the opening stages though, as they struggled to gain anything by way of forward momentum.
So often the source of inspiration for Lyon though, Lacazette again proved to be the man to get them going as he fired home at the far post after Bradley Barcola kept Rayan Cherki’s initial cross alive.
Falling behind seemed to incentivise Montpellier, and it didn’t take the visitors long to get back on level terms. Johann Lepenant was robbed of the ball in a dangerous area by Joris Chotard and he fed Wahi, who made no mistake in poking home the equaliser.
Like London buses, Montpellier had waited nearly 40 minutes for one and a second came along almost instantly. Another Lepenant mistake was pounced upon by Wahi, who made no mistake in jinking into the area and crashing home an effort off the post to complete Montpellier’s comeback.
After being greeted by boos at the half-time whistle, Lyon could ill afford a slow start after the break, but that’s exactly what happened.
Wahi was felled in the area, dusted himself off and completed his hat-trick goal from the spot, and he wasn’t done yet. Moments later, he latched onto Chotard’s deft through ball and rounded Anthony Lopes to incredibly fire home his fourth of the afternoon, much to the dismay of the beleaguered Lyon support.
Lyon weren’t dead just yet though as they hit back almost instantly through none other than Lacazette, but they still had a mountain to climb with a little over 30 minutes remaining.
An unlikely source set up a grandstand finish for the home fans remaining in the ground as Dejan Lovren popped up with his first Lyon goal to reduce the arrears. Barcola thought he had pulled off the unthinkable for Lyon when he slammed home, but the assistant’s flag cut short his joy and spared Montpellier’s blushes.
Not to be outdone by Wahi’s hat-trick, Lyon’s Lacazette wrapped up one of his own when he levelled the scores, leaving the hosts with the momentum in search of a late winner.
One of Ligue 1’s classics had a final twist, as Lyon were awarded a 100th-minute penalty, which Lacazette duly converted to claim his fourth of the afternoon and wrap up an enormous result in Lyon's quest to secure European football.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Alexandre Lacazette (Olympique Lyonnais)