Ernest Nuamah struck right before the break as Lyon survived a late Palace scare to win 3-2 at the Groupama Stadium.
Ernest Nuamah is making his mark in Europe. The Ghanaian forward netted on the stroke of halftime as Olympique Lyonnais edged Crystal Palace 3-2 in a pulsating Europa League clash at the Groupama Stadium on Thursday, October 15.
Lyon started fast. Captain Corentin Tolisso was sharpest inside the box, pouncing after a corner to put the hosts ahead in the eighth minute. Then came Nuamah's moment. Latching onto a delivery from Japan's Keito Nakamura in first-half stoppage time, he coolly guided a left-footed finish into the bottom corner to make it 2-0.
Palace refused to fold. Just five minutes after the restart, Yeremy Pino pulled one back, finishing a through ball from Adam Wharton. But Lyon answered in the 76th minute, when substitute Pavel Sulc turned in another Nakamura assist to restore the two-goal cushion at 3-1.
The visitors made it nervy late on as Daichi Kamada struck in the 81st minute, setting up a tense finish. Lyon dug in and held firm to take all three points.
Next up for Lyon is a return to Ligue 1 action against Nice on October 18, with Nuamah hoping to carry this momentum into domestic play.
