Celtic and Rangers rarely share common ground, but this week, they found themselves in strikingly similar situations. Just 48 hours after Celtic realized that unpunished mistakes in Scotland would be ruthlessly exploited at the elite level, Rangers experienced a similar fate. The scoreline at Ibrox may not have matched Borussia Dortmund’s 7-1 thrashing of the Scottish champions, but the underlying theme was identical. Rangers will undoubtedly defeat St Johnstone on Sunday, reigniting hopes of a two-horse race in domestic competitions, but this match served as another stark reminder of how far Scottish teams fall short of the top tier.
Lyon’s speed, strength, and counter-attacking prowess left Rangers struggling to keep up. Rangers, who pride themselves on being Europa League specialists, had no answer to Lyon’s efficient away performance. There is currently a sense of unease around Rangers; Lyon’s display only amplified this. At times, Lyon’s play was a joy to watch, and they were allowed to showcase their skills without much resistance. Rangers were notably lacking in aggression and composure.
Rangers manager Philippe Clement dismissed any notion that Lyon represented favorable opposition during his pre-match media briefing. Despite significant summer spending, Pierre Sage’s team had only managed to secure seven points from their first six Ligue 1 games. Clement, in essence, did not buy into Lyon’s supposed struggles. Rangers are already a distant second in a city where being runner-up offers no solace.
The game began under peculiar circumstances, with Sir Alex Ferguson among the spectators. Rangers had the better start – James Tavernier and Vaclav Cerny both missed opportunities – before Malick Fofana curled the visitors into the lead. John Souttar’s block on Rayan Cherki fell directly at Fofana’s feet. Shortly before this goal, Rangers’ ultra element caused a stir even among their own supporters with a pyrotechnic and firework display, along with a banner supporting a couple of their members who had presumably been involved in questionable activities. This is a recurring issue for several clubs, and another UEFA fine seems imminent.
On the field, Rangers responded well to Fofana’s goal. Lucas Perri, Lyon’s goalkeeper, hesitated with Cyriel Dessers nearby. Tom Lawrence, in fine form recently, seized the opportunity to equalize. It was a deserved goal. Next, Rangers’ own mistakes came to the fore. Connor Barron, omitted from Steve Clarke’s latest Scotland squad, demonstrated his shortcomings by gifting the ball to Fofana. A swift counter-attack and clever move inside saw Fofana assist Alexandre Lacazette, who left Jack Butland with no chance.
Butland barely reacted as Lyon scored their third just before halftime. Rangers’ sloppy play led to a series of throw-ins, allowing Lyon to advance. Lacazette cut in from the left flank and fired a stunning shot from 22 yards, draining the energy from Ibrox. Fofana secured Lyon’s fourth, with Cherki’s quick feet bamboozling Barron. Cherki’s cross found Fofana, who easily outpaced Tavernier for the goal.
Tavernier was substituted after an hour, a rare admission by Clement that his captain was struggling. In reality, he was far from the only one. Neraysho Kasanwirjo cleared a shot off the line as Corentin Tolisso aimed for a fifth goal. Duje Caleta-Car had earlier hit the Rangers crossbar. Kieran Dowell’s half-volley was brilliantly saved by Perri, while Said Benrahma drew a sharp stop from Butland on his debut. Lyon’s substitution of Fofana and Cherki was perhaps the best news for Clement on a challenging evening.
Lacazette missed a chance to extend Lyon’s lead, but the visitors had no real need to add to their tally. Another of Scottish football’s elite had faced a humbling European night. Back to the domestic front they go.
