Moussa Niakhaté’s first Ligue 1 match with Olympique Lyonnais was far from the memorable debut he had hoped for. The Senegalese defender made a crucial error that contributed to Lyon’s 3-0 defeat against Rennes, and he has openly expressed his regret over the incident.
During Sunday’s match, Niakhaté was responsible for a misguided back pass that led directly to Amine Gouiri’s goal, the second of three that Lyon conceded in quick succession.
Reflecting on his performance, Niakhaté did not shy away from acknowledging his mistake. “What killed us was the second goal, it was my mistake,” he admitted.
“We can concede a goal, there’s no problem. But conceding the second goal two minutes after the first is complicated, especially on a big individual error.”
Niakhaté, who joined Lyon this summer from Nottingham Forest as a defensive reinforcement, was candid in taking responsibility for the error.
“The problem is not in the head, it’s just my mistake,” the Senegalese international added, clearly disappointed with his contribution to the team’s opening-day loss.
Despite the costly mistake, Lyon’s head coach, Pierre Sage, was quick to defend his player. In his post-match comments to DAZN, Sage emphasized that the team must take collective responsibility for such moments.
“Niakhaté’s mistake? It’s the kind of thing that we don’t talk about at half-time. We always take responsibility together. One day, Moussa will make us win a match,” Sage said.
The coach also drew parallels to a similar situation last season, involving another player who initially struggled but later redeemed himself.
“Last year, I had the case with Jake O’Brien who made a big error in the restart against Lens before scoring two goals with his head from a corner that day, and who had a great season afterwards.
I will never abandon a player or make him feel responsible for a goal conceded by the team,” Sage continued, underlining his commitment to supporting his players through difficult moments.
Lyon’s upcoming match against AS Monaco next Sunday will provide Niakhaté with an opportunity to bounce back and begin to repair the damage from his debut.
With the support of his coach and teammates, the defender will be keen to prove his worth and help Lyon recover from their disappointing start to the Ligue 1 season.
As Lyon prepares for this crucial second match, all eyes will be on Niakhaté to see if he can turn his early struggles into a platform for growth and redemption in the French top flight.
