Rayan Cherki showed flashes of his promise on Friday night, but the Olympique Lyonnais youngster and his side were ultimately frustrated by a dogged Nîmes Olympique who executed their gameplan to perfection in a well-earned 0-0 draw.
THE MATCH
Memphis Depay and Moussa Dembélé where back in Lyon's starting line-up having both been benched for Tuesday's 2-1 reverse at Montpellier Hérault SC, but despite having that firepower on the field the hosts found themselves on the back foot for much of the first half. Anthony Lopes had to be wide awake to stop Lamine Fomba's effort which deflected off Marcelo's heel early on (4'). Maxwel Cornet failed to connect with a flying header at the other end (8') and Nîmes were inches away from making them pay, with Renaud Ripart firing narrowly off target on the turn from the edge of the box (11'). Lyon admittedly enjoyed a lot of the ball after those early scares - with 17-year-old Cherki in particular impressing in possession - but Nîmes always looked capable of hitting them on the break. Zinedine Ferhat came closest, fizzing an effort just past Lopes' near top corner with half-time approaching (40'), and when Amaury Delerue's whistle for the interval went, Lyon were, if anything, the more relieved to hear it.
Nîmes complete upset
OL were thoroughly disappointed by the referee's whistle early in the second half. Dembélé thought he had opened his account for the season after turning home Léo Dubois' cross, but the full-back was adjudged to have carried the ball out of play in the build-up (49'). Nîmes remained lively, however, and after Ferhat had seen a free-kick cleared by Dembélé (53'), Florian Miguel let fly from range, forcing a good save from Portuguese shot-stopper Lopes (54'). Bruno Guimaraes attempted to become the first player not called Memphis to score for Lyon this season when he broke forward and hit a left-footed effort towards goal from range, but Lopes's opposite number Baptiste Reynet looked comfortable in making his first real save of the game (78'). Midfielder Cherki made way for striker Tino Kadewere late on (86') but Lyon simply couldn't find a way through. Dembélé headed a late chance straight at Reynet (90') and it ended 0-0.
THE PLAYER: Zinedine Ferhat
That Nîmes were consistently able to hit Lyon on the counter was thanks in large part to Ferhat, whose speed and skill were a handful for 19-year-old left-back Melvin Bard - and seasoned centre-back Jason Denayer alongside him. Ferhat had three goals and four assists in his first Ligue 1 Uber Eats campaign with Nîmes last term. Already on two and one in each column this season, he figures to surpass last year's tally in no time if he keeps playing like this.
THE STAT: 4
This is the first time in four meetings that Lyon have failed to beat Nîmes. The last time les Gones dropped points to les Crocos was on the final day of the 1992/93 season - the year Ferhat was born - when former France midfielder Philippe Vercruysse, now 58, scored in a 1-0 win at Lyon's old Stade de Gerland.
