Pierre Sage’s return to Lyon ended in a 3-2 Europa League defeat as Crystal Palace let a poor first half cost them at the Groupama Stadium, despite a lively second-half fightback on their first-ever away night in the competition.
Match facts
- Result: Lyon 3-2 Crystal Palace (half-time 2-0)
- Competition: UEFA Europa League, League Stage
- Venue: Groupama Stadium (Parc Olympique Lyonnais)
- Scorers: Tolisso 8', Nuamah 45+2', Šulc 76'; Pino 50', Kamada 81'
- Red cards: None
- Next: Palace host Brighton in the Premier League on Sunday, then travel to Beşiktaş in the Europa League next Thursday
How the match unfolded
Sage managed Lyon from November 2023 to January 2025 and faced his former club with a near-full-strength XI, including Ismaïla Sarr’s first start of the season. Around 3,000 travelling supporters backed the Eagles in France.
Lyon struck early. From an eighth-minute corner, Ernest Nuamah’s delivery caused chaos in the six-yard box; after a ricochet involving Jaydee Canvot, captain Corentin Tolisso stabbed home from close range. Palace offered little thereafter before the break and, per BBC Sport and Sky Sports, failed to register a shot on target in the first half.
On the stroke of half-time the deficit doubled. Keito Nakamura escaped down the left and crossed for Nuamah, who finished past Walter Benítez at the near post in the second minute of added time.
Palace responded immediately after the restart. A short-corner routine ended with Adam Wharton slipping Yéremy Pino into the box, and the Spain international crashed a finish into the roof of the net in the 50th minute (confirmed by Crystal Palace’s official match report).
The visitors then looked the more dangerous side. Benítez tipped over Abner’s header, Daichi Kamada’s penalty appeal after contact in the box was waved away, and Dominik Greif denied Kamada from point-blank range. Against that momentum, Lyon restored a two-goal cushion in the 76th minute: substitute Pavel Šulc diverted Nakamura’s scuffed effort from close range after a right-sided break.
Kamada still pulled one back in the 81st minute, lashing in after Anan Khalaili’s surge down the right. In the 90th minute Chris Richards headed goalwards from Wharton’s corner, but Greif’s reflex save preserved Lyon’s win.
What it means for Sage and Palace
Palace sit 15th in the early Europa League table with three points from two matches after this first league-stage defeat. The night revived awkward history: UEFA previously demoted Palace from the Europa League to the Conference League when then co-owner John Textor also held a majority stake in Lyon; Palace later won the Conference League to earn their 2026-27 Europa League place. Sage told Sky Sports the return was “very disappointing” because of the result, praising the second-half response while admitting the first half was “nowhere near” Palace’s standards.
Lyon, managed by Paulo Fonseca, made it two wins from two and sit eighth on six points.
What’s next
Palace host rivals Brighton on Sunday before a Europa League trip to Turkey to face Beşiktaş. Lyon continue their strong start to the league stage looking to stay in the automatic-qualification places.
Related reading: Palace 3-1 Nottingham Forest and Lens 2-1 Lyon. Account checks stay free via the BetAlert database.