UEFA Europa League League Stage - 6
Lyon 2 - 1 FT GO Ahead Eagles
Match Statistics
Possession
Shots
Shots on Target
Expected Goals (xG)
Passes
Pass Accuracy
Corners
Fouls
Yellow Cards
Red Cards
Match Events
3' A. Moreira (T. Morton)
M. Smit (M. Meulensteen) 6'
11' P. Sulc (A. Maitland-Niles)
33' Clinton Mata
HT
↓ A. Adelgaard ↑J. Breum 60'
↓ K. Goudmijn ↑V. Edvardsen 60'
↓ E. Linthorst ↑C. Twigt 69'
76' ↓ K. Merah ↑M. de Carvalho
↓ G. van Zwam ↑F. Stokkers 80'
Finn Stokkers 85'
86' ↓ M. Satriano ↑Abner Vinicius
Melle Meulensteen 90'+4
90'+4 ↓ C. Tolisso ↑A. Gomes
90'+4 ↓ A. Moreira ↑A. Karabec
FT
Player Cards
Our take on every player in this match
Lyon
Goalkeepers
R. Descamps 
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
90
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Defenders
C. Mata 
ARCHITECT
3
Key Passes
3
Key Passes
0
Assists
85%
Pass Acc
M. Niakhate 
MAGNET
100
Activity
100
Activity
93
Passes
7
Duels
N. Tagliafico
MAGNET
93
Activity
93
Activity
84
Passes
9
Duels
Midfielders
A. Maitland-Niles 
STORMTROOPER
2
Shots
2
Shots
0
Goals
1
On Target
K. Merah
LATE SHIFT
14
Late Mins
14
Late Mins
76
Total Mins
76
Entry
T. Morton 
PROVIDER
1
Assists
1
Assists
2
Key Passes
8.2
Rating
C. Tolisso
ARCHITECT
3
Key Passes
3
Key Passes
0
Assists
58%
Pass Acc
A. Moreira 
FINISHER
1
Goals
1
Goals
4
Shots
7.3
Rating
Forwards
P. Sulc 
SNIPER
50%
Conversion
50%
Conversion
1
Goals
2
Shots
M. Satriano
MAGNET
49
Activity
49
Activity
33
Passes
16
Duels
BENCH
D. Greif 
SPECTATOR
0
Saves
0
Saves
0
Conceded
0
Minutes
Abner Vinicius
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
10
Total Mins
Started
Entry
T. Barisic
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
A. Karabec
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
1
Total Mins
Started
Entry
M. de Carvalho
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
14
Total Mins
Started
Entry
T. Goncalves
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
A. Gomes
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
1
Total Mins
Started
Entry
E. Molebe
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
A. Hamdani
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
GO Ahead Eagles
Goalkeepers
J. De Busser
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
90
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Defenders
M. Deijl
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
90
Total Mins
Started
Entry
G. van Zwam 
WALL
0
Dribbled Past
0
Dribbled Past
4
Tackles
67%
Duel Win %
J. Kramer 
SWEEPER
8
Cleanups
8
Cleanups
6
Interceptions
2
Blocks
D. James
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
90
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Midfielders
M. Meulensteen
PROVIDER
1
Assists
1
Assists
1
Key Passes
6.6
Rating
E. Linthorst
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
69
Total Mins
69
Entry
A. Adelgaard
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
60
Total Mins
60
Entry
K. Goudmijn
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
60
Total Mins
60
Entry
M. Suray
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
90
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Forwards
M. Smit
FINISHER
1
Goals
1
Goals
3
Shots
8.3
Rating
BENCH
L. Plogmann
SPECTATOR
0
Saves
0
Saves
0
Conceded
0
Minutes
S. Jansen
SPECTATOR
0
Saves
0
Saves
0
Conceded
0
Minutes
N. Verdoni
SPECTATOR
0
Saves
0
Saves
0
Conceded
0
Minutes
J. Dirksen
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
C. Twigt
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
21
Total Mins
Started
Entry
J. Breum
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
30
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Y. Salah Rahmouni
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
O. Sivertsen
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
O. Pettersson
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
V. Edvardsen
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
30
Total Mins
Started
Entry
R. Margaret
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
F. Stokkers
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
10
Total Mins
Started
Entry
League Standings
P: 6 GD: +10
P: 6 GD: +8
P: 6 GD: +6
P: 6 GD: +7
P: 6 GD: +6
P: 6 GD: +5
P: 6 GD: +5
P: 6 GD: +4
P: 6 GD: +7
P: 6 GD: +5
P: 6 GD: +5
P: 6 GD: +4
P: 6 GD: +4
P: 6 GD: +4
P: 6 GD: +2
P: 6 GD: +1
P: 6 GD: 0
P: 6 GD: +3
P: 6 GD: +3
P: 6 GD: +3
P: 6 GD: -4
P: 6 GD: -1
P: 6 GD: -3
P: 6 GD: -4
P: 6 GD: -5
P: 6 GD: -1
P: 6 GD: -4
P: 6 GD: -6
P: 6 GD: -4
P: 6 GD: -6
P: 6 GD: -6
P: 6 GD: -6
P: 6 GD: -8
P: 6 GD: -9
P: 6 GD: -16
League Standings
P: 8 GD: +13
P: 8 GD: +8
P: 8 GD: +10
P: 8 GD: +6
P: 8 GD: +6
P: 8 GD: +6
P: 8 GD: +6
P: 8 GD: +7
P: 8 GD: +4
P: 8 GD: +7
P: 8 GD: +6
P: 8 GD: +1
P: 8 GD: +8
P: 8 GD: +5
P: 8 GD: +1
P: 8 GD: +4
P: 8 GD: +3
P: 8 GD: +3
P: 8 GD: +3
P: 8 GD: +2
P: 8 GD: -2
P: 8 GD: -3
P: 8 GD: -4
P: 8 GD: -2
P: 8 GD: -6
P: 8 GD: -6
P: 8 GD: -7
P: 8 GD: -8
P: 8 GD: -4
P: 8 GD: -4
P: 8 GD: -5
P: 8 GD: -9
P: 8 GD: -8
P: 8 GD: -10
P: 8 GD: -11
Match previews and recaps to help you decide which games are worth watching
Fast and Furious at Groupama Stadium
Average Entertainment Futmetrix Score: 48/100. An explosive eight-minute goal rush proved enough for the league leaders to assert their dominance and consolidate their position atop the European standings.
The Early Explosion
An unbelievable start to the evening saw the net ripple three times before the seats were even warm. Lyon stormed out of the gates with pure attacking intent. Afonso Moreira found the bottom corner on just three minutes, finishing off a razor-sharp sequence orchestrated by Tyler Morton. The Groupama Stadium crowd erupted, anticipating a straightforward rout. But GO Ahead Eagles immediately punched back to silence the home fans. Milan Smit leveled the scoring in the sixth minute, capitalizing on a brilliant supply line from M. Meulensteen. The Intensity hit fever pitch straight away. The visitors refused to roll over for the table-toppers, turning the opening exchanges into a breathless, end-to-end tactical brawl.
Seizing the Reins
The Dutch resurgence proved to be a fleeting moment of defiance. The stalemate lasted mere moments before P. Sulc restored the French side's advantage in the 11th minute. He was perfectly guided by a masterful, defense-splitting delivery from Ainsley Maitland-Niles. From that exact moment, the hosts essentially locked down the pitch. They completely dominated possession with a suffocating 62 percent share, cutting off every passing lane. A relentless barrage of 17 shots kept the visitors permanently pinned deep in their own penalty area. A constantly shifting Balance rating reflects how wildly the momentum swung in those opening ten minutes, before the home side firmly wrestled control of the midfield and squeezed the life out of the contest.
Standing Top of Europe
The second half failed to match the chaotic, unpredictable energy of the first. The visitors managed just three shots on target all night, starved of the ball by an aggressive pressing structure that never relented. Maitland-Niles ran the show with an elite performance, earning man of the match honours as his side confidently navigated their way to the final whistle. The victory leaves the hosts sitting proudly in first place on 21 points, their status as European heavyweights completely secure. For the Eagles, languishing miserably down in 28th place, the Stakes grow increasingly desperate as they fight to keep their fading European campaign alive for another matchday.
Key Questions
Who scored the goals in this match?
Afonso Moreira and P. Sulc found the net for the hosts, while Milan Smit scored the lone goal for the visitors.
Who was named player of the match?
Ainsley Maitland-Niles earned top honours after providing a crucial assist and completely dominating the midfield exchanges.
What is the Futmetrix Score?
The Futmetrix Score is our 0-100 verdict on how entertaining a match is. We look at intensity, balance, stakes, and star quality to tell you if it's worth your time.
Top-Eight Ambitions Meet Playoff Survival
Worth Watching Futmetrix Score: 69/100. Lyon's relentless pursuit of direct qualification collides with a desperate GO Ahead Eagles side fighting to cross the top-24 playoff line.
The Setup
As we head into this December 11, 2025 clash at Groupama Stadium, the contrast between these two UEFA Europa League campaigns is stark. Lyon sit pretty at the summit of the table, boasting a phenomenal Form rating driven by four wins in their last five. Their home ground has become a fortress, and securing a top-eight finish to bypass the playoff round is firmly within their grasp. On the flip side, GO Ahead Eagles are languishing in 28th place. The Stakes for the Dutch side could not be higher; they desperately need points to climb back above the top-24 cutoff and salvage their continental season. With a massive gap in Stars quality and an overarching lack of Balance in the visitors' recent outings, the Eagles face a monumental task.
Key Battle
The defining matchup pits Corentin Tolisso against Jari De Busser. Tolisso has been an absolute midfield maestro for the hosts, dictating tempo and arriving in the box with lethal intent. De Busser, meanwhile, has been incredibly busy between the sticks for the visitors, racking up a massive save count to keep his struggling defense afloat. If Tolisso finds space centrally, De Busser will need a superhuman performance to keep the Eagles in the tie.
Our Prediction
We expect Lyon to dominate possession and dictate the tempo from the opening whistle. The visitors will sit deep, but the sheer attacking quality of the hosts will eventually break them down. Our take: a comfortable 3-0 victory for Lyon, leaving GO Ahead Eagles staring at an early European exit.