Lyon vs 15.10.26 16:453 – 2Full Time
Crystal Palace — UEFA Europa League: stats, lineups & analysis
Match report
Lyon hold off Crystal Palace fightback to win five-goal thriller
Lyon beat Crystal Palace 3-2 at Groupama Stadium in the second matchday of the Europa League's league stage, though the margin was far tighter than the half-time scoreline of 2-0 suggested. The hosts had taken control early, and Corentin Tolisso opened the scoring in the eighth minute to give them the lead.
AI-assisted match report written from official match data.
Ernest Nuamah doubled the advantage in first-half stoppage time, converting a Keito Nakamura assist in the 45+2 minute to send Lyon in with a two-goal cushion. Palace needed only five minutes of the second half to respond. Adam Wharton supplied the pass and Yeremy Pino finished in the 50th minute to make it 2-1.
Pavel Šulc restored the two-goal gap in the 76th minute, again from a Nakamura assist, and it looked to be enough. Daichi Kamada pulled one back in the 81st minute to set up a tense finish, but Lyon held on. Both sides turned out to be closely matched in the numbers, with 11 shots to 12 and four on target apiece.
Lyon next travel no further than home again, hosting Nice in Ligue 1 on Sunday 18 October. Palace face a trip to Brighton in the Premier League on the same day.
Keito Nakamura laid on two goals, for Nuamah on the stroke of half-time and for Šulc in the 76th minute, and earned the highest rating on the pitch at 8.09.
Possession was almost even, with Lyon on 51 per cent and Crystal Palace on 49 per cent, reflecting a contest that swung between the sides.
Lyon beat Crystal Palace 3–2 (half-time 2–0).
Lyon met Crystal Palace in the UEFA Europa League (League Stage - 2). Kick-off was Thursday, 15 October 2026, 16:45 UTC at Groupama Stadium. Referee: João Pinheiro.
Team pages: Lyon · Crystal Palace · UEFA Europa League
Key moments
- 8' Goal: Corentin Tolisso — 1–0 · Watch Corentin Tolisso's goal video (8')
- 45+2' Goal: Ernest Nuamah (assist: Keito Nakamura) — 2–0 · Watch Ernest Nuamah's goal video (45+2')
- 50' Goal: Yeremy Pino (assist: Adam Wharton) — 2–1
- 76' Goal: Pavel Šulc (assist: Keito Nakamura) — 3–1 · Watch Pavel Šulc's goal video (76')
- 81' Goal: Daichi Kamada — 3–2
Starting line-ups
Lyon (4-1-2-1-2)
Crystal Palace (3-4-2-1)
Sirius · Why these numbers
Before kick-off Sirius gave Lyon 53%, the draw 24%, Crystal Palace 23%. It finished Lyon 3–2 Crystal Palace.
Lyon's control of the ball gives them the edge — With almost nothing between the sides on our strength rating, Lyon's habit of controlling the ball (52% possession to 44% in recent games) is the main reason we give them 53%, helped by their home advantage. The draw starts at 28%, the usual rate between sides this level, and falls to 24% because Europa League games draw a little less often.
Why Lyon in front?
Almost nothing between them on our strength rating — 1783 to 1751. Sides this close won 45.8% of 13,721 home games (draw 27.6%, visitors 26.6%). Lyon hold 8 more possession points (52 to 44 in recent games) — and between equals, control has been worth something. Between evenly-matched sides, home teams with this control edge won 48.2% of 5,142 games, vs 44.0% when styles were level. UEFA Europa League home sides out-perform the global norm — and the difference mostly flows to draws (23.2% vs 25.4% norm). UEFA Europa League homes won 47.0% of 4,456 games vs 44.6% across all 101,206 — outside the noise band, so the tally moves accordingly.
Why only 53%?
Because on our strength rating there is nothing in it. Level sides split the rest: the draw at 24% and Crystal Palace at 23%.
Why the draw at 24%?
Between sides this level the draw starts at 27.6%. These teams' recent games average 2.9 goals — a typical goals environment. Games in that environment drew 24.8% of 25,180. UEFA Europa League produces fewer draws than most, taking 2.2 points off.
What did we measure but not count?
Out: Ikoma-Loïs Openda, an important player. This does not change our forecast yet: we are still measuring how much missing players like these cost a team. Out: Dean Henderson, an important player and Crystal Palace's first-choice goalkeeper. In the past games we have checked, a missing first-choice goalkeeper made no measurable difference, so this stays at 0 points.
Sirius probabilities, frozen at kick-off. Analysis, not betting advice. How Sirius is doing this season · Full breakdown, evidence cards and squad news in the Match Insights tab
About this match
On this page: the Lyon vs Crystal Palace final score and result, goal highlights and video clips of every goal, who scored, starting lineups, match stats and the full match report from this UEFA Europa League fixture.
- Who scored and when — a goal-by-goal timeline of the match.
- Match stats — possession, shots, expected goals (xG), corners and cards.
- Starting lineups and player ratings for both teams.
- Head-to-head record and recent form for both sides.
- Watch Corentin Tolisso's goal against Crystal Palace (8').
- Watch Ernest Nuamah's goal against Crystal Palace (45+2').
- Watch Pavel Šulc's goal against Crystal Palace (76').
Watch the goals: goal highlights and video clips of every goal from Lyon 3–2 Crystal Palace. Explore more on the Lyon and Crystal Palace team pages or the UEFA Europa League page.