Anderlecht began their Europa League group stage with a disappointing home defeat on Wednesday night. Olympique Lyon proved too strong, winning 1-2 in a match where the hosts struggled to create consistent danger.
The French visitors took an early lead. Nartey opened the scoring for Lyon after eight minutes. Twenty minutes later, Nakamura doubled the advantage following an assist from Ouedraogo. Anderlecht improved after the break and pulled one back through Cvetkovic, who headed home from a Maamar cross. An equaliser remained elusive, however, sealing the three points for Lyon.
European concerns
The loss to Lyon immediately puts pressure on Anderlecht's European ambitions. It marks a second setback in a short period, following a 3-0 league defeat to Union Saint-Gilloise. Brian Riemer's team is showing inconsistent form, with a recent run of two wins, one draw, and two losses. In the Jupiler Pro League, Anderlecht currently sit seventh with ten points from six matches, six points behind leaders Union.
The presence of former players Loïs Openda, Julien Duranville, and Clinton Mata in the stands could not inspire the home side to a better result. Attention now swiftly turns to the next fixture. On Sunday, Anderlecht host Zulte Waregem, who are fifth in the table, in the league. A victory is required to start climbing back up. The full schedule of upcoming matches is available on our fixtures page. For the current league standings, check the standings.
Meanwhile, the injury to Lucas Hey limits Riemer's options. The coach will have to adjust his lineup for the important upcoming home match against Zulte Waregem.
This story first appeared at Sporza Voetbal
Coach Brian Riemer must reshuffle his defence for the match against Zulte Waregem. According to the club's official injury data, Lucas Hey is ruled out with a broken leg and is not expected back until January 2027. Defender Giulian Biancone also remains absent. The team, sitting seventh with ten points, aims to break the inconsistent run of two wins, one draw and two defeats.
