Olympique Lyon 1 Barcelona 1:BARCELONA put themselves on course for the Champions League quarter-finals when a Thierry Henry header earned them a 1-1 draw at Olympique Lyon in the first leg of their last-16 tie last night.
France striker Henry stooped to head home from less than a metre in the 67th minute after defender Rafael Marquez deflected a Lionel Messi corner towards the far post.
Brazilian midfielder Juninho put the home side ahead after seven minutes when his free kick from the left sailed over keeper Victor Valdes.
The French champions’ pressure in the closing stages failed to produce a winner and they face a daunting task in the return leg at the Nou Camp in two weeks time.
Barcelona, who slumped to a shock 2-1 home defeat by city rivals Espanyol at the weekend, rose to the occasion in the second half and it proved too much for Lyon.
“We missed our chance in the first half, when we should have been rewarded for our efforts but we gave everything,” said Lyon coach Claude Puel.
LYON: Lloris, Mensah, Cris, Boumsong, Grosso, Keita (Pjanic 88), Makoun, Toulalan, Juninho (Kallstrom 78), Ederson (Delgado 64), Benzema. Subs not used: Vercoutre, Gassama, Mounier, Piquionne. Booked: Toulalan, Grosso, Cris. Goals: Juninho 7.
BARCELONA: Valdes, Dani Alves, Pique, Marquez, Puyol, Xavi, Toure Yaya, Busquets (Keita 77), Messi, Eto’o, Henry. Subs not used: Pinto, Caceres, Sylvinho, Hleb, Bojan,
Gudjohnsen. Booked: Dani Alves, Puyol, Busquets. Goals: Henry 67.
Referee: Wolfgang Stark (Germany).
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