Sylvinho rues bad start by ´stressed´ Lyon

Lyon head coach Sylvinho was left ruing a sluggish start in Tuesday’s 1-1 Champions League draw with Zenit, suggesting his side were “stressed” early on.

Zenit opened the scoring just before half-time, when Sardar Azmoun prodded home following a clever interchange on the edge of the penalty area.

Lyon did level just after the break thanks to a Memphis Depay penalty, but it ultimately felt like a missed opportunity for the Ligue 1 side, as they dropped points at home in their Group G opener.

Sylvinho – who was taking charge of a Champions League game for the first time – believes Lyon’s start to the game left them with an uphill task, even if Zenit did not break the deadlock until the 41st minute.

“We started badly, maybe because we were a bit stressed,” the Brazilian told reporters. “We then pulled ourselves together and had more of the possession before conceding the goal that destabilised us.

FT: The points are shared in our #UCL opener as a penalty from @Memphis cancels out Azmoun’s opener. #OLZenit 1-1 pic.twitter.com/lenzIAsEcz

— OL English