Farid Boulaya scored a 90th-minute winner as bottom side Metz threw themselves a Ligue 1 Uber Eats lifeline and all but ended Lyon's hopes of qualifying for European football next season in a dramatic 3-2 win on Sunday to end a 14-game wait for a league win.
THE MATCH
Strasbourg's win at Brest 24 hours earlier left Lyon five points adrift of sixth place. With Nantes lifting Saturday's Coupe France, that berth will no longer afford UEFA Europa Conference League football to its end-of-season occupant, so should Nice — currently in sixth — defeat Saint-Etienne in their rescheduled midweek fixture, Lyon will not be playing in Europe next term.
That result would be a major boost to Metz, who now find themselves just three points behind Les Verts — currently in the relegation/promotion play-off spot — after a miraculous turn of events at the Stade Saint Symphorien.
Given the hosts' plight, and the quality in the visiting team — boasting Brazil international Lucas Paqueta, ex-Germany international and FIFA World Cup winner Jerome Boateng, and current European champion for club and country Emerson — the idea of the three points remaining in Lorraine was more than far-fetched.
Lyon's form also suggested they would maintain the momentum built by three wins in a four-match stretch that had seen them reignite hopes they could secure a place in continental competition next term — Houssem Aouar saw a show ricochet off a defender and loop just over the crossbar (17') as Peter Bosz's side started positively.
Metz had scored just once in their previous four home league games to Lyon, but they soon trebled that tally. Nicolas De Préville's corner was flicked on and Vincent Pajot — formerly of Lyon's arch-rivals Saint-Etienne — finished at the back post (27'). The midfielder's first league goal since 2017 was then added to by Didier Lamkel Zé, who — when played in by Pape Matar Sarr — accelerated clear of Boateng and Malo Gusto before chipping over Anthony Lopes (39').
Lyon hit back quickly through Moussa Dembélé, who sidefooted home his 18th league goal of the season — a career-best tally — after being picked out by Tetê (43'), and he might even have drawn his team level before the break only to shoot over from close range from another Tetê cross (45+2').
Bosz responded by making four changes at half-time, and Karl Toko Ekambi forced Marc-Aurèle Caillard into a save almost immediately (47') with the seven-time French champions looking like they were clicking into gear.
Tanguy Ndombélé — one of the half-time subs — smashed a long-range effort over (51'), and Caillard parried a Thiago Mendes effort (56') before the Brazilian midfielder was sent off for pulling back Lamkel Zé with Metz's Cameroonian forward through on goal (68').
De Préville hit a post with the resulting free-kick (70') as Metz looked as if they would capitalise on their man advantage; instead, Tetê also found the woodwork with a shot (73') before Dembélé struck again to peg them back after good work from Toko Ekambi (85').
Metz, however, dug deep and Boulaya, who only came off the bench on 80 minutes, gave them only their second home win of the season with a powerful shot from inside the penalty area (90') to leave Fréderic Antonetti's men with hope of saving themselves with a home match against Angers and a trip to Paris to come.
THE PLAYER: Nicolas De Préville
The hard-working former Lille striker is one of the top-flight's most underrated performers. Inventive and industrious as always, and excellent at linking up play, his performance deserved the goal he very nearly got with a well-struck free-kick.
THE STAT: 2
This was not only Metz's second home win of the season, it was their second home victory in their last 25 league games in their own backyard.
