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Lyon
Europa League | Group Stage
Nov 2, 2017 at 6pm UK
 
Everton logo

3-0

Traore (68'), Aouar (78'), Depay (88')
FT(HT: 0-0)

Live Commentary: Lyon 3-0 Everton - as it happened

Relive Everton's 3-0 defeat at Lyon with Sports Mole's text commentary.
2

Everton have crashed out of the Europa League at the group stage thanks to a 3-0 defeat at Lyon.

Bertrand Traore opened the scoring for the visitors in the 68th minute before substitute Houssem Aouar doubled their advantage less than 10 minutes later.

The visitors then had Morgan Schneiderlin sent off and Memphis Depay compounded their misery by netting Lyon's third at the death.

Find out how the action unfolded with Sports Mole's text commentary below.


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Hello and welcome to Sports Mole's live text coverage of Everton's trip to Lyon in the Europa League. This is a huge game for the Toffees since they could be eliminated from the competition if they lose and Atalanta avoid defeat at Apollon Limassol. Team news is coming up...

LYON XI: Lopes; Mendy, Diakhaby, Marcelo, Rafael; Ndombele, Tousart, Depay, Fekir, Cornet; Traore;

EVERTON XI: Pickford; Kenny, Martina, Williams, Holgate; Schneiderlin, Baningime, Gueye, Lennon, Lookman; Sigurdsson

Lyon have made only minor changes to the side that beat Everton at Goodison Park last month. Ex-Chelsea man Bertrand Traore will play as a lone striker with support from Cornet, Fekir and former Manchester United winger Depay. Ndombele and Tousart will operate in the centre of midfield, in front of a flat back four.

Everton have made more extensive changes than the hosts, with caretaker boss David Unsworth resting key players ahead of this weekend's crucial Premier League clash with Watford. Gylfi Sigurdsson will serve as the Blues' main goal threat, playing off youngster Ademola Lookman, who has been given a rare chance to impressive. Unsworth has packed out his midfield with Morgan Schneiderlin, Beni Baningime and Idrissa Gueye all operating in the centre of the park.

Everton's back four is a mixture of youth and experience as veteran Ashley Williams partners Cuco Martina at centre-back, while Jonjoe Kenny and Mason Holgate line up on the flanks. All four of those players have made blunders at some point this season, so the visitors may be vulnerable at the back.

Ashley Williams in action during the Premier League game between Everton and Arsenal on December 13, 2016© SilverHub


The managerless Toffees head into this match in woeful form, having failed to win a match in any competition since September 23. Their start to their Europa League group campaign is the worst by any English club in history and their return of one point from three games has left them on the brink of elimination.

They've really struggled to keep clean sheets in Europe of late, managing none in their last eight. Tonight marks only the second time they've played a competitive fixture in France. The first came in a 0-0 draw with Lille in the 2014-15 Europa League group stages.

Lyon and Everton share very little history. In fact, the French club's 2-1 victory at Goodison Park last month was the first time the teams have locked horns competitively. Their record against English teams in general isn't great at this ground. You have to go all the way back to 1967 to find the last time they beat one.

That was a 1-0 win over Tottenham in the old Cup Winners' Cup, and since then, Lyon has drawn six out of their last seven home games against Premier League opposition.

That said, they've won four of their last five home games in the Europa League, drawing the other, and scored 17 goals in those matches without keeping a clean sheet.

PREDICTION: Everton's team is all over the place this evening. Key players have been rested, there's no recognised striker or right-back and several kids have been given a run-out. This isn't a line-up that's going to improve on the 2-1 defeat they were dealt by Lyon at home last month. The French side are in decent form, and with the home crowd behind them, I think they'll edge this by the same scoreline they managed at Goodison.

Pre-match quotes from Everton caretaker boss David Unsworth coming up...

UNSWORTH: "We have an uphill task, but it's not impossible. We'll give everything to win. The Europa League is very important to us because we've got 3,000 Evertonians coming to watch us tomorrow. It's important to me and important to the players. I'll pick a team to win the game and I know the lads will do everything they can to win it as well. Every time you pull on the shirt for this great club, it's important to win. We want to do it for our fans." (via BBC Sport)

Interim Toffees boss David Unsworth watches on during the EFL Cup game between Chelsea and Everton on October 25, 2017© SilverHub


Morgan Schneiderlin will be a key man for Everton in the middle of the park tonight. No player has made more interceptions than his 12 in this season's Europa League. No doubt he will be encouraged to track back and assist his defenders, who have faltered all too often this season.

We've already talked about how this is a big night for Everton, but it's also a big night for David Unsworth too. The Toffees caretaker boss has emerged as a candidate to land the job on a permanent basis, and to stand any chance of that, he will need two wins from his next two games. Sean Dyche and Sam Allardyce remain the frontrunners, but a couple of wins for Unsworth might see him stake a claim of his own.

Kickoff is just minutes away now. Stay tuned for minute-by-minute updates from Everton's trip to Lyon...

KICK OFF! Everton get the match underway, kicking from right to left in the first half. They charge into the opposition's half, but the ball soon ends up back with their goalkeeper Jordan Pickford, who clears long.

Ashley Williams is getting a hostile reception from the Lyon fans for his part in an ugly incident involving Lyon goalkeeper Anthony Lopes during the reverse fixture. A chorus of boos rings out while the Welshman plays the ball back to Pickford. Moments later, Cuco Martina goes in hard on Nabil Fekir and concedes a free kick in a dangerous position.

Memphis Depay takes the free kick and plays a neat lofted pass towards the back post. Mouctar Diakhaby slides in and almost reaches it at full stretch but can't quite make contact. Everton's marking was wanting there, so they should consider than an early warning.

BOOKING! Martina earns the game's first yellow card for bundling Cornet over. Sloppy defending from the Everton man, who was warned for conceding that free kick just minutes ago.

It's been a bright start from Lyon, who have demonstrated pace along the flanks and attacking ambition from the off, without threatening Pickford's goal yet. Everton, playing without an out-and-out striker, look like they're trying to absorb the pressure, but they could really use a win to save their Europa League campaign.

Everton put the ball into the Lyon box for the first time as Gylfi Sigurdsson hoists a free kick into the box. Ferland Mendy heads the ball clear, but only as far as Ademola Lookman, who has time and space to play a pass across the face of goal, but none of his teammates are in the box waiting to be picked out! The Blues, as usual, are looking short on attacking instinct.

The Blues have been patient in their build-up play these past few minutes. Lennon collects a pass from Kenny out wide and finds Sigurdsson with a deft cut-back, but the Iceland international cannot find the target. Much better from Everton, who are settling into the match.

It's Lyon's turn to test Everton's defensive resolve now as Depay uses his pace to leave Kenny behind on the flank. The Dutchman hits a low cross towards the centre of goal, but Holgate is in the right place at the right time to clear.

CHANCE! Lyon have now claimed the best chance of the evening as Depay supplies an angled cross from the right channel and Traore leaps high to meet it. The Former Chelsea man connects well and gets plenty of power behind his header, forcing Pickford into a reaction save. He can only parry the ball away, allowing Fekir to rifle it across the face of goal, but Pickford recovers well and palms the low cross to safety.

Lyon remain the better side and have attempted to keep the tempo up since forcing Pickford into that double save. Everton are yet to test Lopes in the Lyon goal and have their keeper to thank for maintaining the parity.

Some sustained Everton possession in the final third ends with Martina playing a looping cross towards the back post. There are no takers and the ball drifts out for a goalkick. Minutes earlier, Fekir smashed a half-volley well over the crossbar.

Maxwel Cornet uses his pace and strength to leave Beni Baningime for dust along the right channel, putting the youngster on his backside. The winger plays a low cross into the six-yard box and it rebounds off Holgate towards the Everton goal, but Pickford is well positioned to collect. The referee had blow his whistle anyway, wrongly adjudging that the ball had gone out for a goalkick before Cornet made the delivery.

UPDATE! Atalanta have gone in front against Apollon Limassol. Josip Ilicic scored the game's only goal so far from the penalty spot, and if the scoreline stays that way, Everton will drop out of the Europa League if they lose at Lyon.

Things aren't looking good for Martina here. He went into for an aerial challenge with Cornet and came off by far the worst, hitting the ground with an almighty thud. Martina did seem to manage to break his fall by throwing his right arm to the turf, but there's a lot of medical staff treating him on the ground and a stretcher has come out.

SUBSTITUTION: Martina looks like he's suffered a back injury and cannot continue. Muhamed Besic comes on in his place and takes up the left-back role, while Kenny switches the right-back. Let's hope Martina is okay.

CHANCE! Lyon win their third corner of the game. Depay takes it and plays his cross high, into the centre of the box. Marcelo arrives unmarked and meets it with a thumping header that flies just wide of Pickford's left post. There fourth official's board goes up and indicates that there will be seven minutes of stoppage time due to Martina's injury.

Everton are under the cosh in stoppage time. First Traore latches onto a pass from Fekir and lets fly, forcing Pickford into a diving save. Minutes later, a dangerous cross into the box lands at the feet of Kenny. He hesitates under pressure but quickly recovers and scrambles the ball clear.

There's disastrous miscommunication between Williams and his goalkeeper Pickford as they both go for the same ball. The big defender poleaxes his own keeper and sends him crashing to the ground awkwardly. For a moment, it looks like Pickford may be injured, but he quickly gets to his feet, eager to continue.

HALF TIME: Lyon 0-0 Everton

Well, this isn't the worst Everton have played these season. They've defended reasonably well and created a couple of chances, despite their lack of an out-and-out striker being painfully evident as usual. As things stand, they will be on the brink of Europa League elimination since a win is required to put them in contention to qualify for the next phase.

The biggest talking point from the first period was Pickford's double save in the 23rd minute. Everton's goalkeeper has been their standout player, and not for the first time this season. Lyon are the better side, no question, but there are positives for Unsworth to focus on.

The other talking point is that nasty injury to Cuco Martina. He was stretchered off with what looked like a back or neck injury. There's no news on his condition, but we'll have an update for you as soon as one is available.

Everton have a few options on the subs bench tonight. Kevin Mirallas, Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Nikola Vlasic are strong contenders to see some action in the second half. Mirallas and Vlasic would add some width in the final third, while Calvert-Lewin would bring the pace the Blues have been lacking tonight.

KICK OFF! Lyon get the match back underway. Will Everton still be in the Europa League 45 minutes from now? Stay tuned to find out...

CHANCE! Everton come flying out for the second half. Beni Baningime's cross into the box falls kindly for Idrissa Gueye to smash, but his low effort doesn't have enough power behind it, allowing Lopes to meet it with a fairly routine save. That was a golden opportunity for the holding midfielder, who should have put his boot through it.

The Blues are unlikely to get a better chance than that Gueye opportunity just a moment ago. Lyon are back on the counter now, but the move breaks down with Cornet's low cross is smothered by Pickford. Unsworth will be the happier of the two managers, but he could find himself ruing that missed opportunity 40 minutes from now.

Williams drills the ball into the back of the net following a Sigurdsson free kick, but it won't couch since the referee had already blow for a free kick due to a Holgate foul on Diakhaby. The Welsh defender is warned for striking the ball after the whistle had gone.

BOOKING! Morgan Schneiderlin is booked for dissent and that card is the result of a verbal exchange between the player and the official that's been brewing for a while.

PENALTY CLAIM! The referee has a tough call to make as Holgate goes in hard on Fekir in the box. He gets the ball but also takes the player out and it's difficult to tell which he connected with first. The replay shows that Holgate just nicked the ball before connecting with Fekir, who went down easily, so the referee's decision to rule in Everton's favour was the correct one.

SUBSTITUTIONS: Everton make an attacking change, taking off holding midfielder Idrissa Gueye and replacing him with pacey forward Dominic Calvert-Lewin. Lyon have also made a switch, with Houssem Aouar coming on for Nabil Fekir, who's been quiet tonight.

The referee makes a poor call and awards Lyon a corner after Diakhaby ran the ball out of play himself. Depay plays in the cross, but justice is served when Pickford makes a confident catch.

CHANCE! A good team move involving Lennon, Calvert-Lewin and Lookman ends when Sigurdsson shoots from the edge of the box, missing the target by inches.

GOAL! Lyon 1-0 Everton (Bertrand Traore)

Just seconds after Sigurdsson shot wide at the other end, Lyon hit Everton with a break. There's some fortune about their goal as Schneiderlin slid in for a challenge, only to deflect the ball off NDombele and into the path of Traore, who reacts well and finishes into the centre of the net from close range.

Atalanta are still ahead in Cyprus, so if things stay this way Everton will be out of the Europa League. They made another change to up the ante in the final third, with Vlasic coming on for Aaron Lennon. The Blues have less than 20 minutes to salvage their European campaign.

GOAL! Lyon 2-0 Everton (Houssem Aouar)

And that is surely the knockout blow that has dumped Everton out of the Europa League. A beautiful reverse pass from Depay wrong-foots Holgate and creates a shooting opportunity for substitute Houssem Aouar inside the box. He lets fly and gets some curl and power behind his shot, more than enough to put it beyond Pickford and into the bottom corner.

RED CARD! Morgan Schneiderlin is sent off for the second time this season, and he really only has himself to blame. The Frenchman goes into dangerously on Ferri, which is a ludicrous thing to do when you've already been booked. That's compounded Everton's misery tonight.

Nothing has gone Everton's way tonight, but in fairness they haven't looked like scoring, so there's no argument to say they should have gotten the result they needed tonight. Their result of only one point in the Europa League group stage so far was already a Premier League worst, and they will be extending that record to one point from four games tonight.

GOAL! Lyon 3-0 Everton (Memphis Depay)

Everton are taking a pasting now as Lyon net a third through Depay, who exchanges passes with Ferri before curling a strike beyond Pickford to make it 3-0. Apollon Limassol vs. Atalanta has finished 1-1, a result which will send Everton out of the competition, coupled with this defeat.

There will be three minutes of stoppage time to play. Everton's latest night of punishment is almost over.

FULL TIME: Lyon 3-0 Everton

Everton are out of the Europa League after suffering a 3-0 defeat away to Lyon. David Unsworth's men soaked up some pressure in the first half, but when they attempted to take the game to their opponents in the second half, their whole setup came tumbling down like a house of cards, and that's also an apt metaphor for their season so far.

The scoreline is just one of several blows for the Blues, a sending off for Morgan Schneiderlin and an injury to Cuco Martina being the other. There's still no update on Martina, who left the park in a neck brace and looked in a bad way.

For Everton now, they need to put this European nightmare behind them and focus on bringing in the right manager to steer them away from a period of sheer turmoil. Their upcoming Premier League fixtures against Watford and Crystal Palace are MASSIVE games for the club.

That's all we have time for on an evening to forget for Everton, but stick with Sports Mole for our ongoing coverage of the Europa League, including all of the fallout from tonight's game. Thanks for reading.

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Interim Toffees boss David Unsworth watches on during the EFL Cup game between Chelsea and Everton on October 25, 2017
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