Depay strikes late to send Lyon through to last 16
Soccer Football - Champions League - Group G - Olympique Lyonnais v RB Leipzig - Groupama Stadium, Lyon, France - December 10, 2019 Olympique Lyonnais' Memphis Depay scores their second goal REUTERS/Emmanuel Foudrot
LYON, France (Reuters) - Olympique Lyonnais fought back from 2-0 down to snatch a 2-2 draw against RB Leipzig thanks to a late Memphis Depay goal that sent the French club through to the Champions League's last 16 on Tuesday.
Dutch striker Depay found the back of the net eight minutes from fulltime after Hassem Aouar's superb second-half goal had reduced the deficit with Lyon having conceded two first-half penalties in a catastrophic start at the Groupama Stadium.
Leipzig topped the group with 11 points while Lyon finished second on eight points.
Soccer Football - Champions League - Group G - Olympique Lyonnais v RB Leipzig - Groupama Stadium, Lyon, France - December 10, 2019 Olympique Lyonnais' Memphis Depay celebrates scoring their second goal with teammates REUTERS/Emmanuel Foudrot
Benfica, who finished with seven points, will play in the Europa League knockout phase after finishing ahead of Zenit St Petersburg thanks to a better head-to-head record following a 3-0 home win against the Russian side.
Lyon got off to a woeful start as Leipzig were awarded a penalty following a VAR review after keeper Anthony Lopes had tripped Yussuf Poulsen.
Emil Forsberg converted the spot kick in the ninth minute and Timo Werner doubled the advantage with another penalty in the 33rd after Lucas Tousart had brought down Christopher Nkunku.
Soccer Football - Champions League - Group G - Olympique Lyonnais v RB Leipzig - Groupama Stadium, Lyon, France - December 10, 2019 RB Leipzig's Emil Forsberg scores their first goal from the penalty spot REUTERS/Emmanuel Foudrot
Aouar pulled one back five minutes into the second half with an exquisite curling shot into the far top corner.
In a tense finale, Depay ghosted past a defender to score the equaliser from close range with a low angled shot.
Soccer Football - Champions League - Group G - Olympique Lyonnais v RB Leipzig - Groupama Stadium, Lyon, France - December 10, 2019 Olympique Lyonnais' Anthony Lopes congratulates Marcal after he clears the ball from danger REUTERS/Emmanuel Foudrot
(Reporting by Julien Pretot; Editing by Toby Davis)
Soccer Football - Champions League - Group G - Olympique Lyonnais v RB Leipzig - Groupama Stadium, Lyon, France - December 10, 2019 Olympique Lyonnais coach Rudi Garcia and Moussa Dembele celebrate after the match REUTERS/Emmanuel FoudrotSoccer Football - Champions League - Group G - Olympique Lyonnais v RB Leipzig - Groupama Stadium, Lyon, France - December 10, 2019 Olympique Lyonnais' Moussa Dembele heads at goal REUTERS/Emmanuel FoudrotSoccer Football - Champions League - Group G - Olympique Lyonnais v RB Leipzig - Groupama Stadium, Lyon, France - December 10, 2019 RB Leipzig's Peter Gulacsi catches the ball as Olympique Lyonnais' Moussa Dembele looks on REUTERS/Emmanuel FoudrotSoccer Football - Champions League - Group G - Olympique Lyonnais v RB Leipzig - Groupama Stadium, Lyon, France - December 10, 2019 RB Leipzig's Timo Werner scores their second goal from the penalty spot REUTERS/Emmanuel FoudrotSoccer Football - Champions League - Group G - Olympique Lyonnais v RB Leipzig - Groupama Stadium, Lyon, France - December 10, 2019 Olympique Lyonnais' Memphis Depay in action with RB Leipzig's Nordi Mukiele REUTERS/Emmanuel FoudrotSoccer Football - Champions League - Group G - Olympique Lyonnais v RB Leipzig - Groupama Stadium, Lyon, France - December 10, 2019 RB Leipzig's Christopher Nkunku in action with Olympique Lyonnais' Rafael REUTERS/Emmanuel FoudrotSoccer Football - Champions League - Group G - Olympique Lyonnais v RB Leipzig - Groupama Stadium, Lyon, France - December 10, 2019 Olympique Lyonnais' Memphis Depay in action with RB Leipzig's Marcelo Saracchi REUTERS/Emmanuel Foudrot
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