Man Utd held late in Lyon after Onana errors

Andre Onana's rollercoaster season with Manchester United hit another low on Thursday night, as the Cameroonian goalkeeper’s late blunder gifted Lyon a dramatic 2-2 draw in the first leg of their Europa League quarter-final. What should have been a gritty away win for United turned into another evening of defensive collapse, with their hopes of Champions League qualification now hanging by a thread.

Coming into the tie under scrutiny, Onana was already the subject of a war of words—former United midfielder Nemanja Matic, now at Lyon, called him “one of the worst goalkeepers in United history,” a stinging prelude to a night where Onana unfortunately did little to shift that narrative.

Despite a positive spell in the second half that looked to have sealed victory through Joshua Zirkzee's late header, Onana’s failure to hold a stoppage-time shot from Georges Mikautadze allowed Rayan Cherki to pounce and score Lyon’s equaliser. It was the second time in the match the United keeper was at fault—having also let Thiago Almada’s tame first-half free-kick slip through his gloves.

A Costly Collapse

The match marked the first meeting between these two clubs since the last 16 of the 2007-08 UEFA Champions League, when both were at the peak of their powers. While United went on to lift the trophy that year, and Lyon reigned supreme in France, their present states are shadows of those golden eras.

United, in particular, are staring at their worst top-flight finish since 1974. Their only realistic path back to the Champions League next season is through winning the Europa League—failure to do so could cost the club upwards of £100 million, a brutal blow to an already tight financial outlook.

Onana in the Crosshairs

It’s difficult to look past the fact that Onana’s performance has become emblematic of United's broader issues. The 28-year-old has shown flashes of his former Inter Milan form but has struggled to find consistency between the posts. Lyon fans, aware of the Matic-Onana row, jeered him with every touch, and their mocking celebrations after Almada’s goal made the narrative sting even more.

Almada’s curling free-kick in the first half, while well-placed, should have been a routine save. Instead, it slid off Onana’s gloves and into the far corner, giving Lyon an unlikely lead. Onana’s handling error in the dying minutes—parrying Mikautadze’s low shot back into play—proved even more costly as Cherki tapped home to rescue a draw.

Missed Chances and a Glimmer of Hope

United had their moments. Rasmus Hojlund, symbolic of the team’s domestic frustration, missed a glorious opportunity in the first half. Despite scoring five times in Europe, the Dane has only three Premier League goals this season—and his scuffed effort from a Patrick Dorgu cut-back summed up his uneven form.

Bruno Fernandes continued to be United's creative heartbeat, delivering the cross for Zirkzee’s 88th-minute header that looked set to seal the win. The captain also forced a smart save from Lyon keeper Lucas Perri and initiated the sequence that led to United’s first goal—teenage defender Leny Yoro’s glancing header just before halftime.

But moments of quality were undone by defensive frailty. Corentin Tolisso was allowed to waltz through United’s midfield, and substitute Alexandre Lacazette missed two promising chances, keeping United on edge throughout.

All to Play for at Old Trafford

For all their failings, United are still very much alive in the tie. A win at Old Trafford next week will be enough to see them through to the semi-finals. But the pressure is mounting—not just to win, but to do so convincingly.

The return leg represents a potential turning point in what has been a turbulent campaign. Manager Ruben Amorim will need to steady the ship quickly and find a way to lift a squad that has shown promise in patches but continues to be undermined by critical errors.

Onana, now under a microscope brighter than ever, will have one more shot at redemption in front of the Old Trafford faithful. Whether he rises to the occasion or crumbles again may well define United’s season.

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