Oliver Baumann let out all his frustration. Just now the second goal for Lyon had fallen, the French turned off cheering. And Hoffenheim's goalkeeper rammed his right fist into the wet grass with all his might: 0: 2 after less than half an hour. And all this in a game that everyone in the camp had said before that they had to win to have a chance of progressing in the Champions League. At this point, God knows that Baumann was not the only one who saw the dream already burst.

It should be different, at least a bit.
When the five-minute stoppage time was over, the south curve of the Lyoneser whistled furiously a team that had lost even the best opportunities in the second round or had failed on outstanding goalkeeper Baumann.

And they had to watch as ten Hoffenheimer scored after the dismissal for Kasim Adams only the first goal and then equalized in the second minute of stoppage time. "If Lyon had not been so blind in front of the goal, they would have shot us down," said defender Nico Schulz and summed up the impression of the audience aptly. Also coach Julian Nagelsmann said: "It was crucial to the opponent, that we came back, because he did not use his chances."

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Rain, residue, red: And then came Hoffenheim

Hoffenheim are still three points behind Lyon. If at least four points are scored from the two matches against Donetsk and Manchester City and Lyonnia matches, there is something else in it. "There is a backdoor, better than if it were too," said coach Nagelsmann. "It would be nonsense, which is still possible not to try, that there are two victories are necessary, is obvious."

It had actually spoken neither the goal nor the gameplay for that Hoffenheim would not lose that day. Lyon was almost always a step faster, while the TSG weak defended and made many mistakes in the construction game.

Especially defender Adams, who lost the most duels and was sent off early with yellow-red (51 minutes), had problems. Nagelsmann insisted on seeing it differently at the press conference. "I do not think he looked overwhelmed," he introduced himself to his young player. Similarly determined, Nagelsmann had previously made decisions on the sidelines. There are probably not many coaches who bring a fourth forward for a defensive midfielder after less than an hour. Certainly not if they're still in an away game and outnumbered. But Nagelsmann changed Nelson Reiss for Florian Grillitsch and later brought with Adam Szalai another striker.

The fans in Lyon whistled their team

The all-or-nothing tactic worked, because a team that was significantly weaker than the strong French players, believed in itself again and conditionally in such a good condition that they could win in injury time running duels. The fact that they had made a game at ten, their coach was not so oblique: "Since many have the idea that you have to run more because one is missing."

Meanwhile, the mood at Olympique Lyon seems to be pretty fragile. By the middle of the second half, the fans had made for a decent volume level. But when players such as Nabil Fekir, Houssem Aouar or repeatedly attacking Memphis Depay bestowed some of the best chances, the atmosphere tipped: Depay's substitution was followed by a shrill whistle for the Dutchman, who replaced coach Bruno Génésio a few days ago had criticized. "Depays game was scandalous," then found former international Christoph Dugarry as a commentator on a television station. "He's casual, he only plays for himself." With 15 points on Paris St. Germain, the league for Lyon is only secondary, a progress in the Champions League the primary goal.

By the 92nd minute, it seemed as if "OL" had reached his goal in early November. But so the fight for second place goes from now on as Fernduell on.

Olympique Lyon - TSG Hoffenheim 2: 2 (2: 0)
1: 0 Fekir (19th)
2: 0 NDombele (28)
2: 1 Kramaric (65.)
2: 2 Kaderábek (90. + 2)
Lyon: Lopes - Rafael, Marcelo, Morel, Denayer, Mendy - Ndombele (88th Cheikh), Tousart, Aouar - Depay (87th Traoré), Fekir (74th Dembele)
Hoffenheim: Baumann - Adams, Vogt, Bicakcic - Kaderabek, Demirbay (79th Nordtveit), Grillitsch (57th Nelson), Kramaric, Schulz - Belfodil, Joelinton (67th Szalai)
Referee: Danny Makkelie (Netherlands)
Yellow cards: Denayer / Grillitsch, Bicakcic, Vogt, Joelinton
Yellow-red cards: - / Adams
Spectators: 55,000