Two weeks after the appointment of Italian Fabio Grosso on its bench, OL are not emerging from the crisis born of their poor start to the league and still have only two points. Conversely, the Reims confirm their good start to the year and climb provisionally to second place with thirteen points, pending the outcome of the match of Brest in Nice in the afternoon.

After the defeat in Brest (1-0), last weekend, Fabio Grosso decided to innovate by opting for a new system with five defenders and offering their first start to three players: Irish defender Jake O'Brien, midfielder Skelly Alvero and Bissau-Guinean striker Mama Baldé.

Quickly standing and regularly out of his technical area, the world champion in 2006 gave voice to encourage his flock or pester against their bad choices, but the options he took ultimately did not bear fruit.

Absent from the starting eleven in Finistère, Rayan Cherki was this time lined up from the start, but gave up his place in the 53rd minute, replaced by Ernest Nuamah, after a discreet first act.

Lyon without a solution

The suspension of Alexandre Lacazette undoubtedly weighed on OL's lack of offensive consistency, unable to score for the third consecutive time and worst attack in the league (three goals).

The Rhodaniens only stood out with a few strikes, rarely dangerous, and finally had no real scoring opportunity.

Lyon's Italian coach Fabio Grosso during the meeting in Reims on Sunday © FRANCOIS NASCIMBENI / AFP

On the contrary, the Champenois were able to make their few opportunities take advantage of thanks to Teddy Teuma, omnipresent to trigger the offensives and Junya Ito, involved in both goals.

The Japanese international first delivered his second assist of the season for Marshall Munetsi, scorer of the head (1-0, 45th + 1) a few days after his two offerings to Lille (2-1), then took a center of Teuma right side, slammed by Anthony Lopes, and finally concluded, again from the head, by the Reims captain Yunis Abdelhamid (2-0, 71(e).

Without a response and harmless despite the changes made by his coach in the second half, OL appeared without a solution. The work of the transalpine technician seems immense to get this team out of the relegation zone, distant by four points.

For their part, the Reims confirm with this fourth victory that they could well be the surprise team of this season, before the reception of the Monegasque leader on the next day, October 7.

© 2023 AFP