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Lyon
Pre-season Friendlies
Jul 31, 2019 at 6pm UK
 
Liverpool logo

1-3

Depay (4' pen.)
FT(HT: 1-2)
Firmino (17'), Andersen (21' og.), Wilson (53')

Live Commentary: Lyon 1-3 Liverpool - as it happened

Relive Sports Mole's live text coverage of Liverpool's 3-1 comeback victory over Lyon as the Reds put an end to their winless pre-season run.
2

Roberto Firmino scored on his return to action as Liverpool earned a 3-1 comeback win over Lyon at the Stade de Geneve in Switzerland on Wednesday evening.

A poor mistake from Alisson Becker early on gifted Memphis Depay the chance to give the Ligue 1 side the lead from the penalty spot, but Firmino hit back for the Reds 13 minutes later.

Joachim Andersen then volleyed the ball into his own net and Harry Wilson added a sublime third early in the second half as Liverpool returned to winning ways.

Relive how the 90 minutes of action unfolded with Sports Mole's live text coverage below.


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Hello and welcome to Sports Mole's live text coverage of the pre-season friendly meeting between Lyon and Liverpool at the Stade de Geneve in Switzerland.

The Reds have lost three and drawn one of their last four friendlies and are in need of a morale-boosting victory to take into Sunday's Community Shield showdown with Manchester City.

Lyon head into their penultimate summer friendly on the back of a 2-1 victory over Arsenal last weekend, meanwhile, with Moussa Dembele on target twice at the Emirates Stadium.


LIVERPOOL TEAM NEWS!

STARTING XI: Alisson; Hoever, Gomez, Lovren, Larouci; Shaqiri, Lallana, Keita; Salah, Firmino, Wilson

SUBS: Mignolet, Lonergan, Fabinho, Van Dijk, Wijnaldum, Milner, Henderson, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Brewster, Robertson, Origi, Matip, Lewis, Duncan, Alexander-Arnold, Elliott, Van den Berg


LYON TEAM NEWS!

STARTING XI: Lopes; Dubois, Andersen, Denayer, Marcal; Lucas, Mendes, Aouar; Traore, Dembele, Depay

SUBS: Caqueret, Cheikh, Gouiri, Kitala, Fofana, Rafael, Tete, Tatarusanu, Tousart, Racioppi, Marcelo, Yanga-Mbiwa, Solet


KICKOFF:  We are up and running at the Stade de Geneve! Liverpool have a slightly more familiar look to them today as Alisson, Salah and Firmino all returned to training earlier this week and they are each named in the starting lineup.

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp watches on during the pre-season clash with Napoli on July 28, 2019© Reuters


Shaqiri and Keita have also returned from injury and also start, so that is five players Klopp is using from the off for the first time this pre-season. Lyon have named a strong XI, meanwhile, with Dembele, Depay and Traore starting in attack.

PENALTY!  What a disastrous moment for Alisson, three minutes into his 2019-2020 campaign! The Brazilian keeper races off his line and struggles to get two hands on Depay's hopeless pass, allowing Dembele to nick in ahead of him. Alisson brings down the Lyon forward in the area and a penalty is awarded.

GOAL!  LYON 1-0 LIVERPOOL (MEMPHIS DEPAY, PEN)

Depay sends Alisson the wrong way and Liverpool's pretty terrible pre-season campaign continues. They have been poor at the back this summer and that is another mistake - albeit from their goalkeeper, not a defender - that can be added to the list.

Memphis Depay celebrates with his Lyon teammates after converting an early penalty against Liverpool on July 31, 2019© Reuters


OFF THE POST!  Almost an instant response for Liverpool as Wilson gets a shot away that takes a heavy deflection and nearly catches out Lopes, who just about helps it on to the post. The Reds have clearly not been rattled by Depay's early penalty.

SHOT!  Denayer produces a great piece of defending to thwart Firmino following a quick exchange of passes with Shaqiri. Lyon are on the attack moments later and Depay bends a shot wide after turning Gomez inside out.

Salah has a weak penalty shout rejected after his cross from the byline his a Lyon player on the arm. Liverpool are the side in the ascendancy but Lyon look incredibly dangerous on the counter. Gomez positions himself well to thwart this latest break.

SAVE!  Liverpool are seeing a lot more of the ball than Lyon, but Sylvinho will not mind that. The French side are being given plenty of chances to charge at their opponents, with Dembele carrying the ball forward and testing Alisson with a low shot.

This Liverpool side still looks a million miles away from the one we saw at the end of last season. It has to be a worry for Klopp, even if we are still in pre-season. Salah, back in the side today after a short summer break, miscues a shot wide.

For those keeping track, it is worth mentioning that Alisson was shown a yellow card for bringing down Depay early on. It was the worst possible start for Liverpool and, a deflected shot onto the post aside, they have not offered a great deal in response.

GOAL!  LYON 1-1 LIVERPOOL (ROBERTO FIRMINO)

Firmino gets Liverpool back on level terms in Switzerland with a good finish inside the box. Mendes failed to cut out Shaqiri's cross from the left and Firmino was given time to swivel and send his half-volley away from Lopes.

Roberto Firmino celebrates with Adam Lallana after equalising for Liverpool against Lyon on July 31, 2019© Reuters


Klopp has sent six or seven players out to warm up, suggesting that we could see some changes come the half an hour mark, Liverpool are the side in control of the match all of a sudden, but Firmino is frustratingly flagged for offside.

GOAL!  LYON 1-2 LIVERPOOL (JOACHIM ANDERSEN, OG)

Well if you thought Alisson's early howler was bad, it is nothing compared to this horror show from Andersen. Hoever sends in a cross from the right and Andersen gets in a right muddle, guiding a shinned volley flying into the top corner of his own net from the edge of the six-yard box.

This match has barely been given a chance to settle down - the opening 35 minutes have flown by. Salah is clattered into in the box but there was not a lot in it. Lyon made a change just after conceding the second goal, incidentally, with Rafael on for the injured Marcal.

Dubois' cross is dangerous and Liverpool's defenders are a little flat-footed. Depay is quickest to react and his volley inside the box is blocked. Klopp is about to make a couple of changes, it appears, with Brewster and Milner being readied to come on.

Keita is played into space down the left by Lallana but the midfielder cannot tee up Salah with his squared pass. That was good, patient build-up play from the Reds to get in behind.

LIVERPOOL SUBS! Swiss midfielder Shaqiri is given a good reception by those in attendance as he makes way for Milner. Firmino is also replaced by Brewster with exactly half an hour played. Prior to that, Gomez stood his ground to prevent Lyon from getting in behind.

This friendly has settled down a little over the last five minutes or so. Liverpool were dealt an early blow when Alisson conceded a penalty that Depay scored, but they have responded well to find themselves 2-1 in front with 32 minutes played in Geneva.

Those two changes were clearly pre-planned, by the way - neither Shaqiri nor Firmino picked up a knock on their returns. Salah and Keita will likely make way at the interval.

Lallana has been Liverpool's brightest player in the first half. His one-touch passing has caught the eye and he is closing everything down. Salah is off target with his latest attempt as the Reds look for a third goal before half time.

SAVE!  Wilson, perhaps sensing that he is running out of time to make a lasting impression, decides to have a go at goal and he forces Lopes into a smart save. Salah then drives a shot into the side-netting. It is all Liverpool at the moment!

YELLOW CARD!  Liverpool are barely giving their opponents a chance to breathe. Hoever is a little too ambitious, though, as he lunges in on Aouar and joins Alisson in being shown a yellow card.

Klopp's men are continuing to press Lyon and it is a tactic that is working well as we have not really seen a lot from the French club in an attacking sense since they fell 2-1 behind. Klopp is expected to make more changes at the interval so the majority of those left on the pitch will have welcome breather in about five minutes' time.

Liverpool appear to be in complete control of this match now. Lallana has been their key player and will be right in Klopp's thoughts for Sunday's Community Shield clash with Man City. A corner is swung into the box but Gomez cannot guide it on target.

Brewster slots the ball through for Salah and the Egyptian is one-on-one with his opponent for the first time. He gets the ball caught under his feet, however, and Lyon clear the danger.

HALF TIME:  LYON 1-2 LIVERPOOL

Liverpool take a 2-1 lead into half time in their final pre-season friendly of the summer. Depay put Lyon in front from the penalty spot early on, but the Reds responded through a Firmino strike and an Andersen own goal.

One of Liverpool's returning players made a disastrous start to the match as Alisson failed to bring Depay's hopeless pass under control and fouled Dembele once the striker pounced on the loose ball.

Depay made no mistake from the penalty spot as Lyon, 2-1 winners over Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday, punished the Brazilian's rustiness.


Liverpool hit the post through a deflected Wilson cross a few minutes later, but it was the French side who were looking the more likely to score on the counter as Dembele tested Alisson down low.

The Reds soon took control of the match, however, with Firmino firing past Lopes on the turn after Mendes failed to deal with Shaqiri's cross.


Four minutes later Klopp's men were in front thanks to a comical own goal from Andersen, who shinned Hoever's cross into the top corner under little pressure from the edge of the six-yard box.

Salah and Wilson both came close with their shots late in the first half, but Liverpool could not find a third before the interval.


BENCH WATCH!

LYON SUBS: Caqueret, Cheikh, Gouiri, Kitala, Fofana, Tete, Tatarusanu, Tousart, Racioppi, Marcelo, Yanga-Mbiwa, Solet

LIVERPOOL SUBS: Mignolet, Lonergan, Fabinho, Van Dijk, Wijnalum, Henderson, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Robertson, Origi, Matip, Lewis, Duncan, Alexander-Arnold, Elliott, Van den Berg

Liverpool midfielder Fabinho in action during a pre-season friendly with Bury in July 2018© Reuters


KICKOFF:  Liverpool get us back up and running at the Stade de Geneve. Klopp has made three changes at the interval, bringing on youngsters Van den Berg, Lewis and Duncan for Salah, Keita and Hoever. Lyon have also made a number of subs.

Lyon have looked the better side in the early stages of the second half. Firmino and Salah have been replaced by Brewster and Duncan, so Liverpool's front three - completed by Wilson - has a very young look to it. How many of these players will be on the field against Norwich City nine days from now?

Larouci stretches his legs down the left but the cross does not arrive. Marcelo comes across to cut out the danger and all Liverpool have to show for the promising attack is a corner, which comes to little.

It is important to stress that it is still pre-season, but this would be a big win for Liverpool. Questions were asked of them on the back of the 3-0 loss to Napoli, but they have performed a lot better today. Lyon still have around 40 minutes to hit back, though.

GOAL!  LYON 1-3 LIVERPOOL (HARRY WILSON)

Duncan gets a powerful angled drive away with his left boot but Tatarusanu is equal to it down low. There is no keeping out Wilson's brilliant strike 30 seconds or so later, though, with the Welshman picking out the top corner from a good 27 yards out.

Harry Wilson is congratulated by his Liverpool teammates after scoring against Lyon on July 31, 2019© Reuters


Duncan is credited with the assist for Wilson's strike, so Liverpool's two academy products linked up for that third goal. It really was a wonderstrike from the Wales international, leaving Tatarusanu with little chance in the Lyon goal.

Klopp will sleep a lot easier tonight following his promising display from his side. Five players have been given their first minutes of pre-season and now only Mane is left to be integrated back in. Lyon boss Sylvinho will question why his players backed off after a promising start.

Liverpool are playing some good football now that the pressure is off. Klopp appears to be readying a number of players to come on for the final half an hour. Alexander-Arnold and Robertson are among those expected to be introduced.

SAVE!  Traore is played through on goal but he cannot get any power behind his shot with just Alisson to beat. That was a big, big chance for the former Chelsea forward to drag Lyon right back into the game. Klopp is furious at one of his players, possibly Brewster, for switching off.

LIVERPOOL SUBS! Replays show that Traore was offside for that chance a minute or so ago, so maybe that it what Klopp was shouting about. The Reds have pretty much changed their entire team for the final half an hour - it looks as though 10 new players have been brought on.

SAVE!  Wijnaldum has a tame shot kept out from 20 yards as Liverpool's new-look XI quickly find their groove. Mignolet, Robertson, Van Dijk, Matip, Alexander-Arnold, Fabinho, Wijnaldum, Elliott, Henderson, Oxlade-Chamberlain and Origi are the players on the field for the Reds.

Liverpool have done well to maintain their high tempo pretty much throughout the match, even after the disruption of making those mass changes a little earlier. The Reds switched off when Traore got in behind but, that aside, they have looked solid.

There is not a great deal happening at the moment. I praised Liverpool for maintaining their high tempo but that has changed over the last few minutes. Lyon have made four more subs so they also have a different look to them.

SAVE!  New signing Elliott is certainly not lacking in confidence. The youngster's low shot is on target and requires saving by Tatarusanu. Oxlade-Chamberlain then tries to pick out Elliott in the middle from the next attack but the ball is cut out.

SAVE!  Oxlade-Chamberlain curls a tame attempt down the middle for Tatarusanu to make the save. That followed some positive play from Elliott, who is making a good impression this evening. The Reds look good value for a fourth goal.

Lyon are struggling to really create much at the moment, with Liverpool the side looking the more threatening. The Reds are probing away down both flanks, as well as through the middle, and you sense that a fourth goal will arrive before full time.

Elliott leads the charge as Liverpool continue to close down their opponents high up the pitch. There have been a couple of dodgy tackles over the last five minutes, including this one from Solet on Fabinho that leads to a free kick.

Henderson, Robertson and Oxlade-Chamberlain are all involved in this latest Liverpool attack down the left. A corner is won and it is worked shot, before being swung towards Matip at the back post. No shot arrives and Lyon clear their lines.

CHANCE!  Following a rare spell in possession for Lyon, Liverpool turn over possession and Alexander-Arnold tees up Henderson 15 yards from goal. Henderson tries to place it in the bottom corner but the ball drifts wide of the far post.

Liverpool win themselves a free kick for Solet's challenge on Fabinho. Alexander-Arnold decides to take on the set piece from 20 yards, and he is not far off target. The ball drops a few inches wide of the post.

Elliott wiggles past a few challenges inside the box and falls to the ground, but no penalty is awarded. Klopp will have been impressed by what he has seen from the youngster, who is reportedly set for a spell out on loan this coming season.

There are around three minutes left to play in Geneva and, still, it is Liverpool who are looking the more likely to score. Klopp's men are giving the crowd their money's worth by putting together attack after attack. Wilson's strike was worth the entrance fee alone.

SAVE!  Alexander-Arnold charges down the right-hand side and swings the ball towards the penalty spot, where Robertson is waiting after timing his run perfectly. The Scottish left-back makes contact with the ball but it is an easy one for the Lyon stopper to keep out.

Oxlade-Chamberlain makes a darting run through the middle but the pass to him is slightly overhit. Two minutes have been added on at the end of this entertaining friendly.

FULL TIME:  LYON 1-3 LIVERPOOL

Liverpool claim a 3-1 win over Lyon to end their winless run in pre-season in their final summer friendly before taking on Manchester City in the Community Shield on Sunday. The Reds trailed to an early Depay penalty, but Firmino equalised and Andersen put into his own net before Wilson added a sublime third early in the second half.

That concludes Sports Mole's live text coverage of events from the Stade de Geneve. An on-the-whistle report can be found by clicking here, and you can follow updates from Chelsea's friendly against Red Bull Salzburg right here. Thanks for joining!

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