Joao Neves' claims the Lyon players 'forgot' to mark him as the 19-year-old Portuguese midfielder cinched a header to drive Paris Saint-Germain to a 3-2 win in stoppage time, sealing his side’s return to the top of Ligue 1. But the win came amid chaos, with Nicolas Tagliafico’s red card moments earlier leaving Lyon furious and reigniting debate over refereeing consistency in France.
PSG edge Lyon in fiery five-goal thriller
PSG reclaimed the Ligue 1 top spot with a thrilling 3-2 victory over Lyon, but it was far from straightforward. Luis Enrique’s side dominated possession and looked in control early on, with Warren Zaire-Emery opening the scoring. Lyon fought back valiantly as Afonso Moreira levelled before Khvicha Kvaratskhelia’s strike restored PSG’s advantage. Ainsley Maitland-Niles then unleashed a thunderbolt from distance to make it 2-2, setting up a dramatic finale.
It was Neves who ultimately stole the show. Rising unmarked in stoppage time, the midfielder met Vitinha’s corner with perfect timing, nodding home the decisive goal.
Enrique praised both Neves and the team’s resilience, saying afterwards: “He has high ambitions. Every player on our team is important, especially if they can score. I hope to have many players back soon so we can finally have a normal training session. Since the start of the season, nothing has been normal.”
Neves, still smiling after the match, reflected on his unlikely match-winner with a touch of humour, saying that defenders had “forgotten about him” in the box. He admitted it had been a tough, high-paced battle but stressed that what mattered most was the victory.
AdvertisementAFPNeves jokes that Lyon defenders didn't expect him to score header
After the game, Neves reflected on his goal with maturity and humour. Asked about his goal, the 21-year-old said: "Because I'm small, they forgot about me. For me, heading the ball is a strong point. It was difficult, a very complicated game for us. I think we still have things to improve, but we won and that's the most important thing. It was an important game, high-paced, with tough duels. We were prepared, we did almost everything well, but there are things to improve."
The Portuguese midfielder has just returned from a left hamstring injury that sidelined him through October. However, he wasted no time reasserting himself in PSG’s midfield. Since returning to full fitness, he's now scored four goals in six Ligue 1 appearances, including key strikes against Bayern Munich and now Lyon. Beyond numbers, Neves’ control and composure have given PSG’s engine room a renewed sense of balance, proving vital amid the team’s injury woes.
Tagliafico’s red card sparks outrage from Lyon
Lyon’s heartbreak was compounded by controversy. Just moments before Neves' winner, Lyon left-back Tagliafico was shown a straight red card for a reckless tackle on Vitinha during a PSG attack. The decision infuriated Lyon’s bench, who argued it was excessively harsh and changed the outcome of the game.
Assistant coach Jorge Maciel vented his frustration: “There’s a real problem with consistency in the refereeing. Everyone saw the fouls we suffered; there were no cards. Then we lose a player for one challenge. It’s incomprehensible.”
Corentin Tolisso echoed the sentiment, saying: “It’s infuriating to lose like that. We played a good match, but refereeing needs to improve, there are mistakes every weekend.”
Lyon head scout Matthieu Louis-Jean went even further, calling referee Benoit Bastien’s performance “a disaster,” insisting that crucial calls “consistently favoured PSG.” Lyon’s players left the pitch furious, feeling robbed of a hard-earned result in a game that had showcased their fighting spirit.
Getty Images SportInjuries, fatigue and the road ahead for PSG
Despite the win, Enrique’s challenges are far from over. PSG’s squad has been ravaged by injuries – Achraf Hakimi is out with ankle sprain and is ruled out long-term, Ousmane Dembele is facing calf strain, Nuno Mendes out with knee sprain, and Desire Doue is in rehabilitation and will remain sidelined. Their absences have disrupted rhythm and preparation, as Enrique admitted: “Since the start of the season, nothing has been normal. It’s difficult to prepare like this.”
However, adversity has opened the door for PSG’s younger talents. Senny Mayulu and Kang In Lee have impressed in extended roles, bringing energy and creativity to a side adapting on the fly. Winger Ibrahim Mbaye also registered his 10th appearance of the season for PSG coming off the bench in the Lyon game.
The upcoming international break offers a welcome pause before the French side heads towards a difficult schedule with matches against Le Havre and Rennes in the league and Tottenham in the Champions League.