FC Utrecht 0-1 Lyon Player Ratings: M. de Carvalho 8.5/10 Rated as Tanner Tessmann's Stunner Seals a Narrow 1-0 Victory

Olympique Lyonnais edged out a resilient FC Utrecht side in a match that could have gone either way. It was a classic tactical battle, a real chess match between the two managers.

From our perspective, the game was crying out for a hero. It found one in substitute Tanner Tessmann. His incredible strike from distance in the 75th minute was worthy of winning any football match. Before that, chances were few and far between. Both teams were defensively solid but lacked that killer instinct in the final third.

We noticed Lyon controlled possession for large spells but struggled to break down Utrecht's low block. FC Utrecht, on the other hand, looked dangerous on the counter and from set-pieces. In the end, the substitutions from the visitors proved decisive. M. de Carvalho, our highest-rated player, was immense throughout the match, bossing the midfield for the French side. Here are the FC Utrecht vs Lyon player ratings.

Lyon Player Ratings vs FC Utrecht

Here are the Lyon player ratings vs FC Utrecht.

Goalkeeper

Dominik Greif - 7.5: A very solid performance from the Lyon keeper. He made a couple of important saves, including a key one early on from Rodríguez. What stood out to us was his confidence in claiming high balls. He commanded his area well and his distribution was clean, keeping a well-deserved clean sheet.

Defenders

Nicolás Tagliafico - 7.5: The captain led by example before being subbed. He was a beast in the duels, winning the majority of them. His last-man tackle was a game-saving moment, pure experience and timing. He put in a real shift both defensively and getting forward. Great performance.

Moussa Niakhaté - 8.0: A colossal presence at the back. From our perspective, he was simply dominant. He won almost everything in the air and made a staggering nine clearances. His passing from the back was also surprisingly crisp. He was a true wall that FC Utrecht just couldn't get past.

Ruben Kluivert - 6.0: A bit of a mixed outing for the defender. He had a big chance to score but couldn't convert it. We noticed he looked a little shaky in some of his duels and was dribbled past a couple of times. He wasn't poor, but he didn't inspire the same confidence as his partner Niakhaté.

Clinton Mata - 6.5: A steady, if unspectacular, game. He was very tidy in possession, rarely giving the ball away. Made some crucial clearances and blocks. However, he also picked up a silly yellow card and was caught out once or twice. An average day at the office.

Midfielders

Adam Karabec - 6.5: Showed flashes of what he can do. He created two chances with some nice passes before he was taken off. However, he drifted out of the game for long periods. We expected a bit more influence from him in the final third. A decent but forgettable performance.

Pavel Sulc - 6.0: He worked tirelessly, you can't fault his effort. But it was a scrappy performance, filled with fouls and culminating in a yellow card. He battled hard but gave away possession too often for our liking. Seemed a bit frustrated out there.

Malick Fofana - 6.0: A very quiet game for the winger. He struggled to get involved and was dispossessed too easily when he did get the ball. He just couldn't seem to make an impact on the match. The substitution on 65 minutes was understandable.

Tyler Morton - 6.5: He was the metronome in midfield for the first hour. Kept the play ticking over with simple, accurate passes. He did his job effectively without being a standout performer. A solid base for the team before being subbed.

M. de Carvalho - 8.5: What a player. From our perspective, he was the best player on the pitch over 90 minutes. He was an absolute menace, winning a ridiculous number of duels and drawing seven fouls. He broke up play, drove forward, and completely dominated the midfield battle. A true warrior's performance.

Forwards

Martín Satriano - 6.0: It was a frustrating evening for the striker. He got into a great position but missed a big chance in the first half. He fought for every ball but lost more duels than he won. He just seemed to lack that cutting edge when it mattered most.

Substitutes

Tanner Tessmann - 8.0: The match-winner. What an introduction! Came on and scored an absolute worldie from outside the box to win the game. You can't ask for more from a substitute. The yellow for celebrating is irrelevant, he won his team the three points.

Rachid Ghezzal - 7.5: Another impactful sub. Provided the crucial assist for Tessmann's goal. His quality on the ball was immediately apparent. Changed the dynamic of Lyon's attack.

Afonso Moreira - 7.0: Looked very lively and direct after coming on. Forced a couple of good saves from the Utrecht keeper. He provided a spark that was missing before his arrival.

Ainsley Maitland-Niles - 5.5: Not the best cameo. Came on, gave away a foul, and got booked almost immediately. Didn't add much stability or threat. A bit of a clumsy appearance.

Khalis Merah - N/A: Brought on in stoppage time to help see out the win. Not enough time to make any real impact.

Manager

P. Rodrigues Fonseca - 8.0: His decisions won the game. The quadruple substitution on 65 minutes completely changed the flow of the match. Bringing on Tessmann and Ghezzal was a stroke of genius. He saw what wasn't working and fixed it decisively.

FC Utrecht Player Ratings vs Lyon

Here are the FC Utrecht player ratings vs Lyon.

Goalkeeper

Vasilios Barkas - 7.0: He'll be disappointed to have lost, but he can hold his head high. He made three good saves, a couple from close range, to keep his team in it. There was absolutely nothing he could do about Tessmann's goal. A strong display between the sticks.

Defenders

Siebe Horemans - 5.5: A difficult night for the defender. His passing was really off, giving the ball away far too often. He also struggled in his physical battles, losing most of his duels. Lyon's attackers seemed to get the better of him.

Mike van der Hoorn - 7.5: Utrecht's best player, in our opinion. He was a rock defensively, winning his headers and making key clearances. What stood out was his threat at the other end; he created a couple of big chances from set-pieces. He fought valiantly all game.

Souffian El Karouani - 6.0: He was a willing outlet on the left, but his delivery was frustrating. He attempted ten crosses but only two found their man. Picked up a late yellow for his troubles. Worked hard, but the quality was missing.

Nick Viergever - 6.5: A solid and composed performance from the captain. He was excellent with his passing and made some important tackles. However, he will be kicking himself for missing a huge chance early in the game. That could have changed everything.

Midfielders

Gjivai Zechiël - 6.0: He kept the ball moving in midfield with tidy passing. However, we felt he was a bit lightweight defensively. He lost most of his duels and didn't offer enough protection for his backline. An okay performance, but not impactful.

Niklas Vesterlund - 5.0: A really poor performance. He was a ghost for most of the game. He lost almost all of his duels and was dispossessed multiple times. He just couldn't get a foothold in the match and was rightly substituted.

Alonzo Engwanda - 6.0: He was certainly combative, maybe a bit too much. He flew into tackles and picked up a booking. Recovered the ball well but his indiscipline cost his team at times. A fighter, but lacked composure.

Derry Murkin - 6.5: He was industrious during his time on the pitch. He won all his tackles and even created a chance. It was a surprise to see him taken off, as he was one of Utrecht's more effective players. A solid, hard-working display.

Forwards

Miguel Rodríguez - 7.0: The most dangerous attacker for Utrecht. He was a constant nuisance, drawing foul after foul. His movement was clever and he won a surprising number of duels. His final product was lacking, but he was a real handful for the Lyon defence.

Sébastien Haller - 7.0: An absolute monster in the air. He won an incredible 10 aerial duels, providing a constant target for his team. He was physically dominant but was let down by the service into him. Had one good shot saved late on.

Substitutes

Adrian Blake - N/A: A late substitute who didn't have time to get involved, aside from conceding a foul.

David Min - 6.5: Looked bright after coming on. He used his energy to create a couple of late chances for his team. A positive cameo.

Mike Eerdhuijzen - N/A: Only on the pitch for a few minutes at the very end.

Manager

R. Jans - 6.0: His team was well-organized and fought hard. They frustrated Lyon for 75 minutes. However, they lacked the attacking quality to really hurt the opposition. His substitutions didn't have the game-changing impact that Lyon's did. A solid plan that was undone by one moment of magic.

Sportsdunia's Player of the Match is M. de Carvalho