Bordeaux 1 Lyon 0:LYON CAN thank goalkeeper Hugo Lloris for a dramatic late save as they reached the Champions League semi-finals for the first time in club history with victory over Ligue 1 rivals Bordeaux.
With Lyon losing 1-0 on the night and clinging to an aggregate lead three minutes from time, the outstanding Lloris leaped across goal to punch clear Wendell’s goalbound header.
Marouane Chamakh’s first-half goal ultimately counted for nothing as Lyon’s first-leg advantage held up through a tense second half.
It was no less than they deserved as, save for a spell late in the first half, they were the more composed team on the night, and they created several chances to kill the game off.
The visitors were enjoying the better of the opening stages as Bafetimbi Gomis headed just over from Cesar Delgado’s corner.
Bordeaux were struggling to get their primary weapon, Chamakh, into the game, and instead their first chance went to Yoann Gourcuff, who headed over when allowed to escape his marker and meet Silva Wendell’s inswinging free-kick.
When Chamakh finally did get on the ball inside the area, Jean-Alain Boumsong was able to block his shot before the referee blew for a handball by the Bordeaux forward anyway. However, the hosts were beginning to find their feet, pegging Lyon back as they sent in several crosses to test the visitors’ defence.
With half-time approaching, Alou Diarra rattled the crossbar with a superb strike from distance that left Lloris with no chance, but still left Bordeaux lamenting their luck.
But seconds later, they were right back in the tie and inevitably it was Chamakh who got the goal.
Benoit Tremoulinas’ cross from the left was touched on by Jaroslav Plasil and Chamakh was on hand to stab home from close range and leave the game beautifully poised at half-time.
The hosts tried to push forward in the second half and it was left to Lloris stretching out a strong left hand to claw away Wendell’s powerful header back across goal from Mathieu Chalme’s cross with three minutes left to see Lyon through.
BORDEAUX: Carrasso, Sane, Ciani, Planus (Cavenaghi 84), Tremoulinas, Plasil, Diarra (Chalme 70), Jussie (Gouffran 77), Gourcuff, Wendell, Chamakh. Subs Not Used: Rame, Henrique, Bellion, Traore.
LYON: Lloris, Reveillere, Cris, Boumsong (Bodmer 77), Cissokho, Toulalan, Gonalons, Kallstrom, Michel Bastos (Ederson 88), Gomis (Pjanic 66), Delgado. Subs Not Used: Vercoutre, Tafer, Gassama, Belfodil. Booked: Cissokho, Gonalons, Toulalan, Kallstrom, Delgado.
Referee: Alberto Undiano Mallenco (Spain)
Lyon win 3-2 on aggregate
Attendance: 33,897
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