Manchester United let a potential victory slip through their fingers in a dramatic 2-2 draw against Lyon in the Europa League quarter-final first leg at Groupama Stadium, with goalkeeper Andre Onana enduring a night to forget.
The Cameroonian shot-stopper was at fault for both Lyon goals, undermining United’s resilience in a match they briefly led. Lyon struck first in the 34th minute when Thiago Almada’s dipping free-kick from 25 yards slipped through Onana’s gloves, a glaring error that silenced United’s vocal away support. The goal came against the run of play, as United had controlled early exchanges, with Bruno Fernandes and Marcus Rashford testing Lyon’s defense.
United fought back before halftime, equalizing through Leny Yoro’s towering header from a Fernandes corner, the young defender outmuscling Maxence Caqueret to nod home his second goal of the campaign. The second half saw United grow in confidence, and Joshua Zirkzee appeared to have secured a vital away win when he headed in Rashford’s cross in the 88th minute, sparking wild celebrations among the traveling fans. But Onana’s nightmare resurfaced in stoppage time.
In the 95th minute, he parried Georges Mikautadze’s low drive straight to Rayan Cherki, who tapped into an empty net to snatch a draw. The error capped a difficult evening for Onana, whose pre-match altercation with Lyon’s Nemanja Matic—his former United teammate—had already drawn headlines.
Manager Ruben Amorim refused to single out Onana, insisting, “We win and lose as a team. Andre will bounce back—he’s a top keeper.” United’s 22 shots to Lyon’s 11 underscored their dominance, but defensive lapses left them vulnerable. Lyon, buoyed by Cherki’s late heroics, now carry momentum into the second leg at Old Trafford, where United face pressure to deliver amid a patchy domestic campaign.
The draw extends United’s winless run in France to three games, and with injuries mounting—Harry Maguire limped off late—Amorim’s side face a critical week to keep their European dreams alive. For Lyon, the result keeps their hopes of a first Europa League semi-final since 2017 firmly intact.