Paris FC-Lyon: Tolisso the artist, an unreal scenario, the Ikoné fiasco... Highlights and lowlights

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You'd swear you saw a few Parisian fans approaching the exit of the Stade Jean-Bouin around the hour mark. Olympique Lyonnais had just scored to make it 3-0 and were cruising towards a comfortable victory. Then they were reduced to ten men after Abner's dismissal (61st ^minute ). Paris FC pulled one back almost immediately (Adama Camara, 65th ^minute ) and seemed to have wings... before also being reduced to ten men, following Thibault De Smet's second yellow card (67th ^minute ).

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This rollercoaster of emotions gave way to a long period of calm. Until Ilan Kebbal's splendid goal (77th ^minute ), which followed a very lucky one from substitute Vincent Marchetti, whose deflected shot seemed to take an eternity to lob Dominik Greif (84th ^minute , 3-3). It was surreal, as PFC looked completely out of sorts with thirty minutes remaining.

Many OL fans are frowning at Didier Deschamps' latest squad selections. Corentin Tolisso hasn't been recalled to the French national team , but each of his matches brings him closer to Clairefontaine. Just this Wednesday, the 2018 World Cup winner (28 caps, 2 goals) showcased his talent once again.

The Lyon captain opened the scoring with an opportunistic finish (5th ^minute ) before playing his role as playmaker and facilitator, despite being hampered by injury before the match. Never one to shy away from a moment of brilliance, as seen in his body feint for Lyon's third goal. The number 10 on his back suits him perfectly. He's the kind of player you go to the stadium to see.

Last week, he scored his first professional goal against FC Basel in the Europa League (2-0). Then, three days later, he scored his second against Strasbourg (2-1). Afonso Moreira further impressed on Wednesday in his first start for Lyon. The 20-year-old Portuguese Under-21 international showcased his game reading and technical skill, providing two assists and a sombrero flick before being substituted in the ^74th minute. His coach and compatriot, Paulo Fonseca, will undoubtedly give him more playing time.

Voted Ligue 1 Player of the Month for August, Ilan Kebbal is experiencing a season that mirrors his career: a series of promises never quite fulfilled. And sometimes, there's that spark. After torrential rain, a flash of brilliance struck the pitch at the Stade Jean-Bouin. Despite a risky first touch, the 27-year-old Algerian managed to curl a left-footed shot from the edge of the box into the far top corner (77th ^minute , 2-3). A gem of a goal that brought the 18,445 spectators to their feet.

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Those who had already been to Jean-Bouin this season knew it: the Ultras Lutetia and the Old Clan, the two ultra supporter groups of Paris FC, with just over 1,000 members between them, know how to create an atmosphere. Enough to warm hearts in the chilly Parisian autumn. However, they were swept away by the Lyon fans' fervor with every OL goal.

Because, even without a designated away section due to a prefectural decree, there were hundreds, even thousands, of Lyon supporters scattered throughout the stands. Their chant, " If you're not jumping, you're not from Lyon ," brought the match to life at Groupama Stadium after each of their team's three goals. Before being silenced in turn by three consecutive goals from Paris FC...

CLAW STROKES

One hour. That's how long the Parisian fans lasted before resorting to insulting chants after Lyon's third goal. Things like " OL, OL, we'll f*** you up. " Classic, and still as pathetic as ever. The parents, who came with their children one evening during the school holidays, must have loved it. We preferred the " Where are the Lyon fans? " chant after PFC's unbelievable equalizer. Proof that teasing without insulting is possible, even in a football stadium.

He returned to the capital this summer, this Bondy native, trained at Paris Saint-Germain, this former French international (4 caps), who never established himself at Fiorentina in Italy, but who was supposed to be one of the faces of Paris FC's ambition. His first start, after weeks of struggling to regain his form, turned into a fiasco. Jonathan Ikoné achieved nothing, not a single dribble, not a single shot, completely stifled by Abner on his flank. To make matters worse, the 27-year-old striker, who wears the number 93 on his back in homage to the Seine-Saint-Denis department, injured his adductor muscle after 20 minutes. The former dazzling LOSC winger is still missing in action.

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Men lie, and sometimes, so do numbers. Paris FC scored three goals on Wednesday, extending their winning streak to nine matches. Yet, Stéphane Gilli can hardly be satisfied with his team's performance, as seen in the 2-1 defeat against Lens on October 19th and the 1-1 draw against Nice on September 28th.

Willem Geubbels was once again often nowhere to be found leading the attack. Ilan Kebbal remains inconsistent, and Moses Simon, who replaced Jonathan Ikoné, is not the spark he provided for years at Nantes. The team as a whole lacks cohesion and understanding. With €20 million spent on the four players mentioned, plus Jean-Philippe Krasso, who was largely anonymous when he came on as a substitute in the ^71st minute, we have a right to expect more.

In the end, we can say that a newly promoted team came back from the brink to snatch an unexpected draw against a top team in the league. But we can't help but think that there was perhaps room for more. If Paris only played six minutes with a numerical advantage, it's because Thibault De Smet received a second, deserved yellow card, which he didn't contest, for preventing Pavel Sulc from launching a counter-attack (67th ^minute ).

It was regrettable, because the Parisian left-back was dribbled past far too easily, and because his teammates had the wind at their backs. Dominant for an hour, Lyon seemed for the first time disoriented, even overwhelmed, forced to retreat into their own half, with the crowd roaring their support for the Parisians. It's doubtful Lyon would have held out for so long without De Smet's red card.