Sparta Prague beat Olympique Lyonnais 2-1 in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League third qualifying round tie in Prague on Tuesday, leaving the French club needing to win next week's return leg to keep their hopes of reaching the competition's play-off round alive.
Corentin Tolisso missed a penalty in the 67th minute that would have drawn Lyon level, and Sparta's Mercado sealed the win for the Czech side two minutes later.
Lyon were outplayed in most aspects of the game, with midfielder Tylere Morton among those to endure a difficult night in Prague.
How Sparta Took Control
Sparta opened the scoring through Bruunes in the 19th minute. Lyon thought they had equalized two minutes later, but the goal was ruled out for offside. Lyon did draw level in the 45th minute when a Sparta defender turned the ball into his own net.
Sparta regained the lead in the 63rd minute when Rynes beat goalkeeper Greif with a low finish, with defender Abner criticized for failing to close him down in time.
Penalty Miss and Mercado's Response
Lyon were awarded a penalty in the 65th minute after Openda was pulled back by a Sparta defender inside the area. Tolisso stepped up two minutes later but sent his effort over the crossbar. Two minutes after that, Mercado's intervention sealed Sparta's victory, compounding a difficult night for the visitors.
Substitutions and Late Chances
Lyon coach turned to his bench as the match slipped away, sending on Fofana and Nuamah for De Carvalho and Ouedraogo in the 75th minute in search of an equalizer. Openda and Maitland-Niles were also involved as Lyon pushed forward.
In the 89th minute, Sparta goalkeeper Surovcik parried a shot from Fofana, sparking a goalmouth scramble, but neither Nuamah nor Maitland-Niles could turn the loose ball in. The match finished after three minutes of stoppage time, with Sparta holding on for the 2-1 win.
What Happens Next
The Champions League third qualifying round is played over two legs, with the winner advancing toward the competition's play-off round. Lyon must now win the second leg to progress.
The return match is scheduled for next Tuesday at 21:00 at the Groupama Stadium, Lyon's home ground.
Elsewhere in the third qualifying round, Beer Sheva beat Red Star Belgrade 1-0, Olympiacos drew 0-0 with Nijmegen, Levski Sofia beat Kairat 1-0, and Union Saint-Gilloise drew 3-3 with Bodo/Glimt. Dinamo Zagreb produced the biggest result of the round, thrashing Zalgiris 5-0.
