PARIS: Forward Nabil Fekir’s early contender for goal of the season was not enough, as Olympique Lyon conceded two late goals to draw with Girondins Bordeaux 3-3 in a thrilling French league match on Saturday.

After midfielder Lukas Lerager’s 88th-minute goal, team-mate Malcom earned Bordeaux a point with a fine strike in injury time.

Right back Kenny Tete and forward Bertrand Traore scored their first goals for Lyon, who were reduced to 10 men after midfielder Sergi Darder was sent off in the 36th minute.

Fekir got the party started by intercepting a wayward Bordeaux pass inside his own half, skipping past one player and sprinting toward the halfway line before sending a stunning shot arrowing over goalkeeper Benoit Costil, who was near his penalty spot.

The somewhat low trajectory of the ball, hit with the inside of Fekir’s foot, still beat Costil because of the power and timing.

“For the goal I didn’t think twice. I saw the keeper up the pitch and it was instinctive,” said Fekir, after netting for the third time in as many matches this term.

Netherlands full-back Tete marked his full debut by netting Lyon’s second on 23 minutes when he volleyed in a free-kick from fellow Dutchman Memphis Depay.

Five minutes after Darder’s sending off for a second yellow card, Malcom reduced the deficit with a shot from the edge of the penalty area that deflected off Lyon striker Mariano Diaz.

Traore whipped in a free kick from 25 metres into the left corner to make it 3-1 on 74 minutes for his first goal since arriving from Chelsea to seemingly leave Lyon heading for a third successive win.

But Lerager clawed a goal back two minutes from time with a composed finish, and Malcom hammered in his second of the afternoon with another thumping strike from distance to earn a point for Bordeaux in a dramatic finale.

St Etienne made it three straight wins without conceding to kick off the new season as Bryan Dabo scored a brace in a 3-0 win over newly-promoted Amiens to move them level with Monaco, who top Ligue 1 on goal difference.

Dutch international Wesley Sneijder made his Ligue 1 debut as Nice beat Guingamp 2-0 to collect their first points of the season.

Goals either side of half-time from Alassane Plea and Remi Walter did the job for Lucien Favre’s side, while Mario Balotelli made his return from injury as a substitute.

Emiliano Sala’s late strike gave Claudio Ranieri his first win since taking over at Nantes, as they overcame a first-half red card for Chidozie Awaziem by winning 1-0 at Troyes, while Montpellier were held 1-1 by Strasbourg and a late penalty snatched Dijon a 2-2 draw at Rennes.

Published in Dawn, August 21st, 2017