Papu Gomez scored another cracking goal as Atalanta held Olympique Lyonnais to a 1-1 draw in France, so top the Europa League group.
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Everton were incredibly pegged back 2-2 at home by Apollon Limassol, so the Italians remain clear at the top of their group.
Papu Gomez scored another cracking goal as Atalanta held Olympique Lyonnais to a 1-1 draw in France, so top the Europa League group.
Everton were incredibly pegged back 2-2 at home by Apollon Limassol, so the Italians remain clear at the top of their group.
The Orobici had their first European away fixture since 1991 and missed Rafael Toloi, but were beaming with confidence after crushing Everton 3-0. They were top of the group going in, as Lyon were surprisingly held 1-1 by a last-gasp Apollon Limassol goal.
As expected, the hosts poured forward from the start, a Bertrand Traore angled drive was deflected wide and Etrit Berisha scrambling to push a Mariano Diaz screamer round the base of the near post.
Atalanta took a while to get into the game, but on 24 minutes Leonardo Spinazzola’s cross found Hans Hateboer only for the header to somehow go wide of the far post from a couple of yards.
Berisha palmed a Mariano Diaz free kick over the bar, but from that corner the looping Kenny Tete header surprised the goalkeeper to thump the spot where the upright meets the crossbar.
Just as Atalanta thought they’d made it to the half-time break, Lyon found a way through. Nabil Fekir turned Marten de Roon inside out down the left flank, his taut cross at the near post found Traore’s back-heel flick and a sensational Berisha save, but the Lyon man reacted quickest on the rebound.
After the restart, Andrea Petagna’s chest and volley was deflected wide for a corner, but Atalanta got a deserved equaliser with Papu Gomez. Mattia Caldara was brought down on the edge of the box and on that touched-on free kick, Gomez unleashed a missile that split the defensive wall to leave Anthony Lopes no chance at the near post.
Papu pointed to his name on the back of his jersey, as before this game Lyon players confessed they’d never heard of him. They know who he is now.
The hosts resumed their siege, Caldara flinging himself in the path of a Mariano Diaz strike, then on the resulting corner Castagne practically cleared Tete’s head off the line.
Berisha had his gloves stung by Ndombele from distance, then on 74 minutes Tete’s cross took a massive deflection off Caldara, but the Albanian goalkeeper adjusted for a fantastic save at the near post.
Spinazzola spun round a dizzied defender at the by-line, but his cross was deflected and Atalanta hung on for dear life under pressure to earn a precious point.
Lyon 1-1 Atalanta
Traore 44 (L), Gomez 57 (A)
Lyon: Lopes; Tete, Marcelo, Morel, Mendy; Ndombele, Tousart; Traore (Cornet 85), Fekir, Aouar (Depay 70); Mariano Diaz (Maolida 70)
Atalanta: Berisha; Masiello, Caldara, Palomino; Hateboer, Cristante (Castagne 46), De Roon, Freuler, Spinazzola; Petagna (Ilicic 60), Gomez
Ref: Siebert (GER)