PARIS: Substitute Gift Orban scored twice as Lyon came back from 3-1 down to beat Strasbourg 4-3 in Ligue 1 on Friday and claim their first win of the new season. Lyon had lost their opening two matches of the campaign and so came into this encounter at their Groupama Stadium already under pressure. They fell behind inside three minutes as Swedish international winger Sebastian Nanasi scored his first goal since signing for Strasbourg from Malmo.
Lyon drew level in first-half stoppage time, Corentin Tolisso netting his team’s first goal of the campaign after Alexandre Lacazette struck the post. However, Strasbourg scored twice following the restart to lead 3-1 just before the hour mark, with Andrey Santos - the Brazilian on loan from Chelsea - heading in before Emanuel Emegha ran through to find the net. But England international Ainsley Maitland-Niles quickly pulled it back to 3-2 after a Lacazette shot had been tipped onto the bar.
Orban, the Nigerian striker, then took centre stage as he turned in a Lacazette cross to level matters again on 64 minutes and headed in a cross from fellow substitute Malick Fofana for the winner on 72 minutes. Lyon secured their first points of the season on a day in which they were trying to raise funds by offloading several players before the transfer window closed. Belgium midfielder Orel Mangala did depart, moving on loan to Everton, who are the subject of a takeover attempt from Lyon’s American owner John Textor.
Strasbourg are owned by BlueCo, the same consortium which runs Chelsea, and they have been one of the biggest spenders in France in the summer window. Santos was one of three players to feature for them in Lyon who came from the London club, while a fourth arrived earlier on Friday when Serbian goalkeeper Djordje Petrovic joined on loan.
Reigning champions Paris Saint-Germain, one of four teams in Ligue 1 with six points after the first two games of the season, visit Lille on Sunday. Roberto De Zerbi’s Marseille were at Toulouse on Saturday.- AFP