PSV peg back Lyon
Lyon were left to rue the lack of a ruthless streak after they were held 1-1 by PSV.
Lyon were left to rue the lack of a ruthless streak after they were held to a 1-1 draw by PSV Eindhoven in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League quarter final.
Paul Le Guen's side should have secured a comfortable cushion to take to Philips Stadion but they failed to convert a string of chances they created after Florent Malouda gave the hosts a 12th minute lead.
Philip Cocu grabbed a sweetly struck equaliser 11 minutes from time as PSV finished the Stade Gerland encounter strongly.
Lyon lack for nothing in ambition and this is perhaps most personified by Juninho. The Brazilian scored with a speculative effort from distance against Werder Bremen in the last round and he was only narrowly off target with a 40-yard free kick after eight minutes.
The hosts were able to keep PSV at arm's length during the first half and they gained the inevitable breakthrough on 12 minutes through Malouda, who had been shaken earlier in the half after being caught in the face by Mark van Bommel's boot.
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Sidney Govou fed the ball into Sylvain Wiltord in the box but the former Arsenal ace tripped over his own feet before nudging the ball into the path of Malouda. The winger struck a firm shot which nicked off the foot of Alex and beyond Heurelho Gomes, who was slow to react.
The French champions' crisp passing enabled them to dictate the play with Mahamadou Diarra's swerving drive sailing wide, while at the opposite end Park Ji-sung scuffed a tame effort wide.
Lyon should have taken further control of the contest on 34 minutes through Essien. Gomes flapped at Govou's cross, with Wiltord retrieving possession for the hosts on the left flank. He thoughtfully whipped in another centre for Essien but the in-demand midfielder could only head straight at the PSV keeper from six yards.
Essien was even closer five minutes later as the Manchester United target was denied by the woodwork. He unleashed a dipping shot from outside the area which brushed Gomes' fingertips en route to clipping the outside of the post, with the PSV keeper once again cutting an unconvincing figure.
PSV striker Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink had been well shackled during the opening half but momentarily wriggled free of his markers on the cusp of the interval to smash a shot over the bar.
After the break, the biggest danger to PSV conceding a second goal derived from their own goalkeeper Gomes, who spilled a routine ball pumped forward by Eric Abidal and was grateful for the assistance of Wilfred Bouma to calm matters.
Just past the hour mark, though, and PSV were indebted to Gomes for a wonderful save to prevent Lyon extending their advantage. The ball bounced around the box like a pinball machine before ricocheting off Essien and into the path of Govou.
The France international was unmarked, ten yards from goal and looked poised to double his team's tally but his stroked shot was magnificently turned around the post by Brazilian keeper Gomes.
Gomes grew steadily more alert as the game wore on and, after Abidal's cross to the near post deflected off PSV defender Lee Young-pyo, he turned the ball wide and even had the good fortune not to be penalised for a corner.
The visitors had not forced Lyon keeper Gregory Coupet into a save when they surprisingly drew level on 79 minutes. Cocu received a slice of luck in midfield as the ball bounced kindly for him before he played a neat one-two with Park.
Cocu collected the South Korean's knockdown before angling a crisp, left-footed shot beyond Coupet which nestled into the corner of the net.
Lyon were unable to raise themselves for a frantic finale and PSV would appear to be favourites to set up a semi-final showdown against one of the Milan giants.
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| Lyon | Team Statistics | PSV Eindhoven |
| 1 | Goals | 1 |
| 1 | 1st Half Goals | 0 |
| 4 | Shots on Target | 1 |
| 3 | Shots off Target | 3 |
| 2 | Blocked Shots | 1 |
| 3 | Corners | 2 |
| 18 | Fouls | 26 |
| 3 | Offsides | 2 |
| 0 | Yellow Cards | 2 |
| 0 | Red Cards | 0 |
| 74 | Passing Success | 69.9 |
| 24 | Tackles | 45 |
| 50 | Tackles Success | 71.1 |
| 48.1 | Possession | 51.9 |
| 51.7 | Territorial Advantage | 48.3 |
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