OLYMPIQUE Lyon grabbed a late equaliser to earn a 2-2 draw at home to Hapoel Tel Aviv last night to finish second in Group B and qualify for the knock-out stages.
Substitute Alexandre Lacazette saved Lyon in the 88th minute, denying Hapoel a Europa League spot in a lively game at the Gerland stadium. Lyon took the lead just past the hour through Lisandro Lopez but the visitors were level a minute later thanks to Ben Sahar and went ahead through Eran Zahavi’s superb bicycle kick.
Schalke 04 secured first place in the group as goals by winger Jose Manuel Jurado and defender Benedikt Howedes gave them a 2-1 win over a tame Benfica side.
Benfica were disappointing throughout but finished third and grabbed a Europa League place.
The German team scored with their first real chance of the game when Ivan Rakitic’s cross was chested down by Raul for his fellow Spaniard Jurado to fire in on 19 minutes, with a static Benfica defence caught ball-watching.
Schalke doubled their lead late on when Howedes beat an offside trap after a corner to finish coolly from near the penalty spot before Luisao headed in a consolation goal for the hosts.
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