Ligue 1: Lyon Edges Marseille 1-0 in Choc des Olympiques

Lyon beats Marseille 1-0, joins PSG at top of league

Lyon's win over Marseille puts them joint top of the league with PSG after three rounds. Lyon secured a narrow 1-0 victory over Marseille in the Choc des Olympiques, thanks to an own goal.

Lyon sought to capitalize on their numerical advantage, but they couldn't find a breakthrough before...

Lyon secured a narrow 1-0 victory over Marseille in the Choc des Olympiques, thanks to an 88th-minute own goal from Leonardo Balerdi. This win marked Lyon's second victory in their last seven head-to-head meetings. The hosts had been seeking a three-game winning start to the season, a feat they hadn't achieved since 1981.

The match was played amidst a tense atmosphere at the Groupama Stadium, where Lyon's determination paid off in the end. Marseille's efforts were ultimately undone by Balerdi's decisive own goal, which handed Lyon the three points. The win was a significant one for Lyon, who looked to build momentum early in the season.

What a win in the Olympico 🔴🔵

1-0 #OLOM pic.twitter.com/8ZizrcJ8EY

— Olympique Lyonnais 🇬🇧🇺🇸 (@OL_English) August 31, 2025

In a dramatic turn of events, the match also saw Manchester City loanee Claudio Egan-Riley sent off for Marseille, further complicating the visitors' chances.

The match's first opportunity fell on the 15-minute mark when Tanner Tessmann's deep cross was headed into Abner Vinícius's path. However, the Brazilian couldn't make solid contact with the ball, and Geronimo Rulli palmed it to safety.

Abner was involved in another key moment shortly after when he went down under Rulli's challenge inside the box, and the referee initially awarded a penalty. Nevertheless, the VAR intervened and overturned the decision, with Abner being booked for simulation instead.

Abner Vinícius was denied again by the officials in the 26th minute when his effort, set up by Malick Fofana, was ruled offside by the flag. However, Lyon's fortunes changed just before the half-hour mark when Claudio Egan-Riley was given a straight red card for a late tackle on Fofana, who had managed to break free and gain possession for the hosts. The red card significantly shifted the momentum of the match in Lyon's favor.

Despite having the numerical advantage, Lyon failed to break through Marseille's defense before halftime. Tanner Tessmann had a promising chance when his shot was deflected onto the roof of the net. In stoppage time, Nabil Fofana's powerful drive was tipped over by Marseille goalkeeper Geronimo Rulli, denying Lyon a pre-break chance.

Lyon sought to capitalize on their numerical advantage, but they couldn't find a breakthrough before halftime. Tanner Tessmann had a shot deflected onto the roof of the net, and in added time, Malick Fofana's powerful drive was tipped over by Geronimo Rulli, denying Lyon a crucial opportunity.

The second half unfolded slowly as Marseille dug in, and they created the first significant chance after halftime on a counterattack. Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg's effort was, however, repelled by Lyon goalkeeper Remy Descamps, who had been relatively underworked until that point.

Lyon responded well to the scare and nearly took the lead when Tanner Tessmann, picked out by Nicolas Tagliafico at the back post, scuffed his shot wide. The American international should have put Lyon ahead, but Marseille managed to weather the storm and stay in the game.

The win propelled Lyon to join Paris Saint-Germain as the only teams with maximum points after three rounds. The victory also extended Lyon's streak of league games without a draw to 18 matches. For Marseille, the loss meant they slipped to the bottom half of the table, suffering their second defeat in three games this season.