Makoun wonderstrike boosts Lyons

Lyons 1 Real Madrid

(REUTERS)

Jean Makoun's stunning second-half strike gave Lyons a deserved lead to take into the second leg of their Champions League last-16 clash against Real Madrid next month.

Following a scoreless first half that saw Lyons make most of the running and hit the woodwork, Makoun struck what would prove to be the only goal of the game two minutes after the break with an unstoppable 25-yard effort.

It consigned Madrid to their third successive defeat at the Stade Gerland, and the Spanish giants – for whom Cristiano Ronaldo was under-par – have work to do if they are avoid being dumped out at the last-16 stage for the sixth successive campaign.

The French outfit may have considered themselves unfortunate not to have been ahead at the break, but it took them less than two minutes of the second period to take the lead.

There appeared little danger when Makoun picked the ball up not too far from the centre-circle, but he was allowed to progress to within 25 yards of Casillas' goal, where he sliced a ferocious effort into the top corner of the net. With their tails up, Lyons quickly set about trying to add to the Spanish side''s problems. Higuain made way for former Lyons striker Karim Benzema but, despite mounting pressure, a crucial away goal was never on the cards.

Lyons (4-4-2): Lloris; Cris, Reveillere, Boumsong, Cissokho; Toulalan, Delgado (Bastos, 89), Pjanic (Kallstrom, 78), Makoun; Govou, Lisandro (Gomis, 81). Substitutes not used: Vercoutre, Gassama, Ederson, Gonalons.

Real Madrid (4-4-2): Casillas; Ramos, Albiol, Arbeloa, Marcelo (Garay, h-t); Diarra, Alonso, Granero, Kaka; Higuain (Benzema, 64), Ronaldo Substitutes not used: Adan, L Diarra, Drenthe, Gago, Raul

Referee: M Atkinson (England).