Shaken in the first period, Lyon qualified on Tuesday for the final of the French Cup 3-0 at the expense of Valenciennes, last in Ligue 2, with a double from Alexandre Lacazette at the end of a match marked by probable news controversy over refereeing and VAR.
It was a goal from the Lyon captain which gave Olympique Lyonnais the advantage in the 51st minute on a penalty awarded for a foul committed on himself by Joffrey Cuffaut.
The referee Stéphanie Frappart first went to check on the video screen the validity of her decision before confirming it, despite the protests of the Valenciennes residents.
This goal obviously conditioned the rest while Valenciennes had resisted until then without much difficulty.
In the first period, Ms. Frappart had not seen a seemingly obvious foul by Anthony Knockaert on the Irishman Jake O’Brien before Ckene Doucouré scored a goal for VA, ultimately invalidated following the intervention of the video assistance (38).
– Double from Lacazette –
Lacazette, however, quickly brought the score to 2-0 with a pivotal shot following a pass from Saïd Benrahma (57th) thus cutting off all suspense for the last third of the match, more easily controlled by the Rhone residents.
Especially since Gift Orban added a third goal by easily taking over a cross delivered by Rayan Cherki when the two players had just come into play (76th).
Lyon, who feared this apparently easy draw once morest a team destined to be relegated to the National (3rd div.), with only two victories in thirty days (11 draws), does not have much to boast regarding this qualification but will not remember, of course, that the result which sends it for the ninth time in its history to the final of the event.
The Rhone club has won five, the last of which it played in 2012 once morest Quevilly, a National club (3rd division).
Pierre Sage’s players, probably tense by the pressure, dominated for a long time in a sterile manner, showing themselves to be very little dangerous before half-time, due to not playing enough depth.
A too weak attempt from Benrahma (7), a missed cross from Nicolas Tagliafico that fell on the post (11), a header from Duje Caleta-Car off target from a corner (14), and finally a shot from Ernest Nuamah who came close to the amount (26), were the only dangerous actions of the Lyonnais.
It was very little for a very disappointing first period on the part of the Rhone residents, even though they were supported by 57,000 spectators.
And at the final whistle, the supporters might still exult by invading the pitch to show their joy at seeing their club in the final following having seen it so close to Ligue 2 in November.
Winning the event is now probably the last chance for the Lyonnais, 10th in Ligue 1, following having been last for a long time, to qualify for a European Cup at the end of the season.
In the final, on May 25 in Lille, Lyon will face either Paris Saint-Germain, which it beat in 2008 for the only cup-championship double in its history, or Rennes, the two clubs facing each other on Wednesday at the Parc des Princes ( 9:10 p.m.) in the other semi-final.
