Lyon narrowly lost to Bristol this Saturday evening on the Bears pitch (36-34) for its entry into the Champions Cup at the end of a match where 11 tries were scored. The Lyonnais went to queens six times thanks to Dumortier (8th), Okuya (10th), Abrahams (58th, 70th), Radradra (65th) and Parisien (77th). But at the last minute, Sheedy scored a drop to crucify the Lyonnais.
There was no need to arrive late at Ashton Gate on Saturday evening. Motivated by the idea of getting their European campaign off to a good start, the two teams started the game with their feet on the ground. In the sixth minute, Lane scored the first of 11 tries of the evening for the locals, thanks to a good service from Ibitoye, untenable. But the Lyonnais did not let themselves be counted on and responded two minutes later (8th) through Ethan Dumortier. The French winger was decisive again two minutes later, sending his teammate Okuya to the test. Three tries in ten minutes for a crazy start to the match. But at home, the English finally regained the advantage. Before half-time, Luatua then Thacker each finished in the goal, allowing Bristol to lead with a score of 21-10 at the break.
Coming into play at the break in place of Kpoku, Alban Roussel wasted no time in putting his team in difficulty. Paying for his team’s mistakes, he received a yellow card in the 46th minute. A numerical inferiority which hurt the Lyonnais, who conceded two new tries by Randall at the end of a good effort from the English forward pack, and by Oghre (54th) at the finish of a nice collective movement.
Holder at the back, Abrahams restarted his team when the gap was 23 points (33-10). The South African made a thunderous acceleration before flattening for the first time of the evening. In the 64th minute, Ravouvou received a yellow card after being guilty of a horrible tackle on Tchapchet. And the Lyonnais took the opportunity to score twice and rekindle the suspense, thanks to Radradra (65th) and Abrahams, author of a double (70th).
At the end of the match, the visitors believed they would succeed in overturning the match, after a magnificent achievement from Parisian who brought down the opposing defense (77th), giving the Lyonnais a point in advance. But while the English were in their 22 meters with all the ground to go up, the Lyon defense conceded a fault which allowed them to return to the LOU camp. With a well-felt drop, Sheedy closed the match with a score of 36 to 34. A fiery finale like this match, where the Lyonnais will be able to regret the bankruptcy at the foot of Page-Relo, who will have dropped nine points (1/5).
