With a substantially revamped lineup, Olympique Lyonnais secured a goalless draw (0-0) against Chernomorets Odessa in the first leg of the Europa League round of 32. Despite the challenging circumstances, Les Gones put in a solid performance, keeping their chances of progressing to the next round alive. The decisive leg will take place at Gerland next Thursday.
Arnold Mvuemba, who started in midfield for OL, expressed satisfaction with the team’s result.
“Like everyone else, we were aware of the situation in Ukraine, but we remained focused on our task. We didn’t encounter any particular issues in that regard,” he explained on RMC. “We played with a new system, which required some adaptation. Additionally, there were significant changes in the squad. Despite our familiarity and training together, we needed to fine-tune our understanding on the field. We faced challenges, especially in the first twenty minutes, but we adjusted well in the second half. Securing a draw without conceding a goal was crucial, and we’re pleased with the outcome.”
