Manchester United’s Europa League quarter-final first leg against Olympique Lyonnais ended in a dramatic 2-2 draw on Thursday night, with young defender Leny Yoro describing teammate Andre Onana’s stoppage-time error as the “worst moment” to concede. The match, played at a raucous Groupama Stadium, saw United surrender a late lead, leaving the tie finely poised for the return leg at Old Trafford.
The Red Devils fell behind in the 25th minute when Onana misjudged a curling free-kick from Lyon’s Thiago Almada, allowing the ball to slip through his gloves and into the net. United battled back, with Yoro himself leveling the score just before halftime, heading in his first goal for the club since his summer move from Lille. The 19-year-old’s composed finish sparked hopes of a turnaround, and when substitute Joshua Zirkzee powered home a header in the 88th minute, United appeared to have snatched a vital away victory.
However, the joy was short-lived. In the fifth minute of stoppage time, Onana failed to hold onto a shot from Lyon’s Georges Mikautadze, spilling the ball into the path of Rayan Cherki, who tapped in to equalize with virtually the last kick of the game. The mistake drew widespread criticism, with Yoro visibly frustrated at the outcome.
Speaking to TNT Sports after the match, Yoro didn’t hold back on the impact of the late concession. “I think this is the worst moment to concede a goal like that,” he said. “We were winning 2-1, and we defended really well, but they are a good team with good strikers, so we need to be ready for everything. Unfortunately, we conceded that goal.”
Yoro’s muted reaction to his own goal underscored his disappointment. “I didn’t enjoy it too much—no celebration because it’s normal, we want to win,” he added, reflecting on his milestone moment being overshadowed by the draw. Despite the setback, the teenager remained optimistic about United’s chances in the second leg, stating, “We know matches like these, away from home, if we win, it puts us in a really good position. We’ll do everything to win at home.”
Manager Ruben Amorim, meanwhile, defended his under-fire goalkeeper, suggesting the errors were part of the game. “It can happen. If you play football, you make mistakes,” Amorim said, emphasizing his continued faith in Onana. However, the Cameroonian’s performance reignited scrutiny, especially after a pre-match war of words with Lyon’s Nemanja Matic, who labeled him “one of the worst goalkeepers in United’s history.”