Lyon vs Rangers. UEFA Europa League Group A.
Stade des LumieresAttendance26,842.
Report as Rangers break Lyon's winning run in Group A; Giovanni van Bronckhorst's side face a play-off to reach the last 16 after finishing runners-up
Friday 10 December 2021 09:00, UK
Rangers remain unbeaten under Giovanni van Bronckhorst after earning a 1-1 draw with Lyon to cement their place as runners-up in Group A.
In a dead-rubber, with Lyon guaranteed to finish top and Rangers booked in for the runners-up spot, the visitors took the lead on 41 minutes when Scott Wright's deflected shot found the corner of the net.
Lyon responded well after the break and levelled when Rayan Cherki's cross was turned into his own net by Calvin Bassey.
There were no more goals in a mostly low-key second half.
Gers boss Van Bronckhorst had won four out of four since taking over from Steven Gerrard, but he will not be too concerned about the draw as he enjoyed another look at what he has at his disposal against a side who had won five out of five in the group.
Rangers will now face one of Barcelona, Borussia Dortmund, RB Leipzig, Porto, Sevilla, Sheriff, Zenit or Villarreal in their play-off to reach the last 16.
Van Bronckhorst, up against long-time friend and fellow Dutchman Peter Bosz in the Lyon dugout, made six changes from Saturday's 3-0 victory over Dundee and in came Jon McLaughlin, Nathan Patterson, John Lundstram, Wright, Kemar Roofe and Ryan Kent.
Lyon, captained by former Celtic striker Moussa Dembele with ex-Liverpool midfielder Xherdan Shaqiri in support, showed nine changes from the weekend's game against Bordeaux.
Attacker Karl Toko Ekambi tested McLaughlin with a low drive in the ninth minute before Dembele had a terrific opportunity when he was sent clean through by Shaqiri.
However, with only McLaughlin to beat he failed to connect with his shot properly and the grateful Gers 'keeper gathered.
The visitors threatened in the 24th minute when Kent found Roofe in space but his curling shot from distance clipped the outside of the post.
Rangers were growing into the game and in the 37th minute, left-back Borna Barisic's shot from distance was saved by Julian Pollersbeck but the Lyon 'keeper was beaten four minutes later.
Kent and Glen Kamara combined down the left and when the latter cut the ball back to the edge of the box from the byline, Wright's low drive took a marked deflection off defender Damien Da Silva to wrong-foot Pollersbeck.
Veteran midfielder Steve Davis replaced Kamara for the start of the second half but he was still bedding in when Cherki worked his way down the right before his shot across goal was deflected into his own net by Bassey.
Lyon had the upper hand with Rangers working hard to contain them, but in the 64th minute, substitute Tino Kadewere came close with a shot from the edge of the box before 18-year-old defender Castello Lukeba knocked a corner past the post with his shoulder from six yards when he ought to have hit the target.
Rangers then got away with poor marking at two corner kicks and McLaughlin saved from substitute Islam Slimani in the final minute, making an even better block in the final minute of three added on from Kadewere, seconds after Gers substitute Joe Aribo almost got through at the other end.
The Europa League play-off draw takes place in Nyon, Switzerland on December 13.
The eight sides finishing second in their Europa League group will be seeded and drawn against the eight sides who finished third in their Champions League groups. No team can play a club from their group or any side from their own country.
The sides who finished second in their Europa League groups will play the first leg of their last-16 tie away from home.
The first legs of the play-off ties will be played on February 17, with the return fixtures a week later on February 24.
It's Hearts away next up for Rangers on Sunday in the Scottish Premiership, a game live on Sky Sports Football (kick-off 12pm).
