Football: Lyon draw with Evian in league

PARIS: Lyon missed the creative spark of injured playmaker Yoann Gourcuff as they dropped their first points of their new campaign with a 1-1 draw at modest Evian. Lyon won their two opening games but fluffed their lines as only a Michel Bastos equaliser 16 minutes from time saved their blushes after Cedric Barbosa had given Evian the lead on 57 minutes with a neat volley. Bastos had only minutes earlier replaced Lisandro when he pounced with a direct free kick which flew through a poorly organised wall. Following the two dropped points Lyon – who earlier announced the €6m transfer of defender Aly Cissokho to Valencia – could now be overtaken this weekend by Marseille, Bastia and Bordeaux.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 26^th, 2012.