Lyon secured a narrow 21-19 victory over Zebre Parma on Saturday afternoon, solidifying their position as serious contenders in the Challenge Cup. Under the guidance of new head coach Karim Ghezal, this match marked both his debut and Lyon's second win of the tournament, enhancing their qualification hopes.
From the kick-off at Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi, Lyon’s Esteban Gonzalez opened the scoring with a try at the 19-minute mark, followed by Martin Méliande’s conversion, putting Lyon up 7-0. Zebre quickly responded, with Tommaso Di Bartolomeo scoring shortly thereafter, closing the gap to 7-5. This back-and-forth continued throughout the match, keeping fans on their toes.
Fans witnessed a tense battle where the lead changed hands multiple times. After halftime, Zebre managed to take the lead for the first time through Gerónimo Prisciantelli's try, which he converted himself, putting them up 12-7. Lyon, now trailing, needed to dig deep. They rallied and found the spark they needed through Monty Ioane, who came off the bench to score just after the team's return to 15 players on the field, once again putting Lyon 14-12 ahead.
The match saw its fair share of drama, particularly with the red card issued to Alessandro Fusco of Zebre, which shifted the momentum back toward Lyon. With Zebre vulnerable, Lyon seized the opportunity. Beka Saginadze crossed the try line, putting Lyon back on top again at 21-19, but not without Philadelphia Eagles-style suspense as Zebre tried to regain their grip.
Commentators noted this victory was not just sweet due to the points, but also symbolically important for the team under Ghezal’s supervision. Reported by Rugbyrama, "Karim Ghezal débute bien sa nouvelle aventure sur le banc de Lyon," setting up what fans hope will be several successful seasons to come.
Both teams struggled with discipline during the match, with Lyon accumulating eight penalties. Despite this, they managed to escape with the win thanks to solid defensive efforts—all eyes were on them as they prepared to face Toulouse next. Lyon will need to polish their strategies and reduce mistakes to maintain their momentum, especially since this win positions them at nine points out of ten available after two matches.
Interestingly, this was also the first time Lyon faced Zebre Parma, adding to the historical significance of the encounter. Fans will surely be reminiscing about this encounter as confirmation of Lyon's capabilities on the European stage.
With this victory, Lyon holds the top position within their pool, giving them considerable confidence moving forward.
