Lyon put up a strong fight but ultimately fell just short, losing 5-4 to Ajax on aggregate to see their Europa League run end at the semi-final stage.
Les Gones trailed 4-1 from the first leg, and matters got even worse when Kasper Dolberg made the breakthrough on the night with a delicate chip.
Alexandre Lacazette changed the complexion of things with two goals right on the brink of half time, before Rachid Ghezzal added his side's third of the night with nine minutes still to play.
The visitors, reduced to 10 men for the closing stages, managed to see things through, however, meaning a first European final appearance of any sort in 21 years.
Relive how the 90 minutes of action unfolded with Sports Mole's live text coverage below.
Hello and welcome to Sports Mole's live text coverage of the Europa League semi-final second-leg tie between Lyon and Ajax at Parc Olympique Lyonnais. The visitors are very much in the driving seat heading into this one, sitting comfortably on a 4-1 lead from last week's gripping reverse fixture in the Netherlands and strong favourites to progress through.
Les Gones have a very good home record in this competition, however, averaging over four goals-per-game so far, while their opponents have struggled away from the Amsterdam ArenA. Just last time out, in fact, the Dutch giants so nearly threw away a commanding lead against Schalke 04 but eventually recovered to progress through in extra time. This one is far from over just yet!
TEAM NEWS!
LYON XI: Lopes; Rafael, N'Koulou, Diakhaby, Morel; Gonalons, Tolisso; Cornet, Fekir, Valbuena; Lacazette
AJAX XI: Onana; Veltman, Sanchez, De Ligt, Viergever; Klaassen, Shone, Ziyech; Traore, Dolberg, Younes
Starting with a look at the home side, the major news is that Alexandre Lacazette is deemed fit to start. The prolific France international had continued his impressive scoring rate this term, netting 30 times in 41 outings, but he picked up an injury against Besiktas in the last round that has hampered him form. Lacazette was only fit enough for a cameo from the bench in Amsterdam but, after an hour against Nantes at the weekend, he is selected from the off today.
Lacazette's inclusion does not mean that Nabil Fekir, the man who stood in for him up top last week, misses out. The forward drops into a slightly deeper role and will provide attacking support on a night in which Lyon require a few goals. Corentin Tolisso, another injury doubt for the first leg, retains his place in the side and Raffael is selected over Christophe Jallet at right-back.
Former Manchester United ace Memphis Depay is ineligible, of course, having already appeared in the early stages of this competition with the Red Devils. That is a blow for the home side, but they still boast quality in their attacking ranks and will likely go with an attack-minded 4-2-3-1 tonight. Mathieu Valbuena, the man who gave Les Gones a glimmer of hope with his goal last week, lines up in that band of three just off Lacazette.
In terms of the visiting side, manager Peter Bosz has both Nick Viergever and Joel Veltman back in his defensive ranks this evening. It is a major boost for Bosz, who includes the duo in his back four, alongside Matthijs De Ligt and Davinson Sanchez - the latter of whom has been linked with a major European club today. Their return from suspension means that Kenny Tete and Jairo Riedewald drop down to the bench.
It is at the other end of the field where Ajax have particularly stood out in Europe this term, however, particularly Kasper Dolberg who has five in the competition and 21 for the season overall. Throw a further seven assists into the mix and you can see just why he is so highly regarded; Manchester United and Manchester City among those to have reportedly made a move for him ahead of the summer.
Joining him in a likely 4-3-3 formation is Bertrand Traore, the scorer of two goals in the first leg, and Amin Younes - between them one of the most exciting triumvirates in world football. Traore has impressed during his stint on loan from Chelsea, scoring four goals and setting up four more on the European stage, while Younes was one of those to run wild in a one-sided opening 90-minute affair eight days ago. One more goal tonight will surely be enough to see Ajax through.
BENCH WATCH!
LYON SUBS: Darder, Ferri, Ghezzal, Gorgelin, Jallet, Rybus, Tousart
AJAX SUBS: Boer, Kluivert, Neres, Riedwald, Tete, Van de Beek, Westermann
Tete and Riedewald missing out on inclusion for the visitors, then, with Veltman and Viergever both back from suspension. Justin, the son of legendary player Patrick Kluivert, is another of the exciting prospects to come off the conveyor belt and will likely play some part from the bench. Jallet is overlooked at right-back for Lyon, meanwhile, with Raffael instead being preferred, while Lucas Tousart will also have to make an impression from the bench.
The big team news is that Alexandre Lacazette is deemed fit enough to start for Lyon. The 30-goal striker picked up an injury against Besiktas in the last round and was a major doubt to face Ajax in the first leg, so much so that he could only managed a bit-part role from the bench. Sixty minutes under his belt in the 3-2 win over Nantes at the weekend, the France international will now be raring to go.
A place in the final is very much Ajax's to lose, then, having built up a commanding 4-1 lead eight days ago. Bertrand Traore netted either side of half time in Amsterdam, while Kasper Dolberg - arguably the crown jewel in this fascinating young side - and Amin Younes also registered. A well-taken Mathieu Valbuena strike at 3-0 looked to have changed the complexion of things, but Les Gones simply could not defend and now have an almighty task on their hands.
Lyon are competing in their third major European semi-final, all of which have come in a different competition - 1964 Cup Winners' Cup, 2010 Champions League and now the 2017 Europa League. They had high hopes of becoming the first French side to win this competition, but last week's thrashing has been a serious dent in those aspirations. Should Les Gones pull off a shock win tonight and then go all the way, it will provide them with a direct route into the Champions League.
That Champions League incentive is the case for all four remaining teams, in fact, particularly Manchester United who are facing successive campaigns without competing in the showpiece event. Unlike the Red Devils, who face Celta Vigo in the other of tonight's semis, Lyon definitely cannot qualify for the Champions League through the more traditional league route. Bruno Gensio's men are fourth in the table, 14 points off Nice with just two games to play.
The deficit on league leaders AS Monaco is a whopping 23 points, meanwhile, with the Champions League semi-finalists also boasting a game in hand. Lyon did beat Nantes here 3-2 on Sunday to make it successive league wins, however, something that they had not previously achieved since February - little wonder that their title aspirations have long since ended. Luckily for the French side, they have fared better on the European stage.
Since finishing third to Juventus and Sevilla in a tough Champions League group, Gensio's charges have cruised past AZ over two legs, overcome Roma and also got the better of Besiktas in a feisty affair that required penalties in the last round. That leaves Lyon as the last team standing from the eight that dropped into the competition post-Christmas, just about in with a chance of becoming the first French side to win this competition since its inception.
DID YOU KNOW? Lyon may have suffered a heavy loss in the first leg, but they always tend to look stronger at home. Les Gones have actually lost five of their last six matches away from Parc Olympique Lyonnais in this competition, all of which have come in knockout ties, while eight of the last 12 goals conceded overall have come in the first half of matches - a poor record. Furthermore, nearly half of those - including Traore's opener eight days ago - have come from set-pieces.
The eight previous sides to have netted four or more goals in the first leg of a UEFA Cup/ Europa semi-final have all gone on to reach the final, so Lyon will need to make some history if they are to continue their run. Ajax managed an incredible 16 shots on target in Amsterdam last week - four more than any other side has managed in this year's competition. It is worth mentioning, however, that Lyon did put seven past AZ here not so long ago.
A couple of Bertrand Traore goals and one apiece from Amin Younes and Kasper Dolberg gave Ajax a 4-1 victory at the Johan Cruyff Arena eight days ago. Mathieu Valbuena did manage to find the net 66 minutes in to give Lyon an away goal, however, while the seven they put past fellow Dutch opposition AZ here not so long ago gives further hope of pulling off an unlikely win over the two legs.
Four-time European Cup winners Ajax certainly boast pedigree on the continental stage, having also succeeded in the Cup Winners' Cup and Super Cup down the years. It is fair to say that this year's run has been a long time coming, though, with a 22-year wait since they last lifted the Champions League with victory over AC Milan in Vienna. They have failed to make too much of an impression since then, to be fair, with this a rare semi-final outing - only their second ever in this particular competition.
The Dutch giants went all the way in 1992 when last making it this far in European football's secondary competition, making them the only one of the four remaining teams in the Europa League to have previously lifted it. United also boast impressive pedigree in terms of continental success, and they are favourites to come out on top in their meeting against Celta Vigo elsewhere tonight - the Red Devils taking a 1-0 lead into the second leg at Old Trafford.
Ajax have gone 12 games without losing at home in the Europa, winning nine of those and only seeing their run without conceding come to an end last time out at the fifth attempt - Valbuena's smart finish shortly after the hour to thank for that. It has been a different story outside of Amsterdam, though, as they have no won any of their last four non-group stage matches on the road, losing three of those. Tellingly, however, none of those defeats have been by more than a one-goal margin.
The Dutch side have also failed to win any of their last five European matches of any sort on French soil, drawing one and losing the other four, but they have never gone down by more than two goals. Again, that would be a welcome result for Bosz and his men tonight, knowing that only a three-goal loss without reply will see them bow out. Ajax squandered a two-goal lead in the last round, conceding twice in normal time and then requiring the additional period of 30 minutes to drag themselves over the line.
Furthermore, they have also lost and drawn to Copenhagen and Legia away from home in the knockout stages, winning just one of six matches in the competition proper - an opening-game triumph at Panathinaikos. All the stats point to Ajax likely losing tonight, then, particularly against a team as impressive at home as Lyon, but they do not tend to get thrashed and you would bet your money on that remaining the case tonight.
Domestically speaking, Ajax cruised to a 4-0 win over Go Ahead Eagles last weekend which, coupled with a surprise 3-0 loss for leaders Feyenoord at Excelsior, will see the Eredivisie title race go down to the wire. Five wins in their last six, with the only blemish in that run being defeat to PSV Eindhoven, has lifted the club to within one point of the pacesetters heading into the final round of fixtures.
It is fair to say that Ajax may have one eye on their final league game, which comes three days from now against Willem II. Do not expect to see Bosz take off his key players at any stage, though, because anything can happen in this sport and Ajax will not fancy writing their name in the history books for all the wrong reasons. Unlike the two Champions League semi-finals, you get the sense that this second leg could well go to the wire if Lyon score early on.
PREVIOUS MEETINGS! Ajax have never lost to Lyon, winning last week's match 4-1 to follow victories in the 2022-03 Champions League group stage and a couple of draws at the same stage six years prior. Les Gones had been on an eight-match unbeaten run against Dutch opposition prior to the first leg, winning four and drawing four, including a memorable 11-2 aggregate win over AZ in the round of 32.
With kickoff at Parc Olympique Lyonnais now less than 10 minutes away, let us turn attention to some pre-match comments from both camps.
Bruno Gensio: "There's an hour and a half to overcome our deficit. We'll have to create chances and take them, but also remain calm and organised when we lose the ball. We have to remember that we scored three goals on Sunday. And if we score three against Ajax, we could go through."
Peter Bosz: "We do not want to relive the same thing as Schalke in the quarter-finals - we want to play our own, high-pressing game. Our players will have to resist the pressure of the public, but this will be our 18th European match this season, and the group is starting to have experience."
Bosz has warned his players to learn from the last round when throwing away a two-goal first-leg lead against Schalke, when requiring extra time to get themselves over the line. The impressive boss, linked with a summer move away from Amsterdam, points out that this is his side's 18th European match of the campaign - they are now just 90 minutes away from a first European final appearance in some 21 years.
Gensio wants his players to battle all the way, meanwhile, pointing out that they have a full 90 minutes to score three times. It is far from impossible, particularly when averaging more than four a game at home in this competition. They have 13 in their three knockout stage games, in fact, so a breakthrough early on and we could well have a gripping contest on our hands. Both sets of players are now making their way down the tunnel area...
KICKOFF! We are up and running at the Parc Olympique Lyonnais. The hosts looking to get at their opponents from the off, knowing just how important a goal in these opening 10-15 minutes will be to their chances of success.
A good tempo from the French side right from the off, as they look to create an opening. They looked incredibly lightweight at the back eight days ago, but the ball has been almost entirely up the other end of the field so far.
A scare at the back for the visitors, as Schone is caught in possession when trying to pass out from the back. Ajax have looked a little shaky so far and struggled to see too much of the ball, but no damage caused just yet.
Lacazette goes in late on Veltman but avoids a booking from the referee. Lyon playing with real intensity so far, which the visitors always knew was going to be the case. They still have a three-goal aggregate lead as things stand.
SAVE! A free kick is won around 30 yards from goal, which Valbuena earns the right to take on. Not the worst attempt, getting it up and over the wall but not asking too much of Andre Onana who collected with ease.
For the first time tonight Ajax get their foot on the ball and work it forward. Incredible energy in that forward line, with the ball falling nicely for Dolberg, whose first sight of goal ends with the ball being blocked away.
CHANCE! A second half-chance in the space of a couple of minutes for the visitors, this time after Amin Younes controlled the ball and lifted it over opposition keeper Anthony Lopes, but it cleared the crossbar.
The visitors looking the better team over the last five minutes or so, it must be said. Lyon started brightly but did not manage to create anything, and since then the only two real sights of goal have fallen Ajax's way.
YELLOW CARDS! A couple of Lyon bookings in the space of 120 seconds or so. Jeremy Morel and Corentin Tolisso the players to be cautioned for their challenges, as the hosts continue to be left frustrated by their opponents.
Lyon just starting to move back out of first gear. Bosz will be delighted with what he has seen so far, with his side looking a tad shaky in the opening six or seven minutes but since looking the better team overall.
CLOSE! A corner is glanced goalwards by Maxime Gonalons, who fails to get the beating of Onana. That was near enough the French side's best chance of the match, and with a quarter of the game gone that would have been the perfect time to score it.
CHANCE! Best chance of the game so far, which again falls the visiting side's way. Hakim Ziyech was played through but failed to get the beating of Lopes, who may just have kept his side in this tie. Ajax very lively!
The Dutch side just look so energetic when they are on the ball, pulling their opponents one way and then the other. They will have plenty of chances this evening, even without having to rely on the counter-attack.
GOAL! LYON 0-1 AJAX (KASPER DOLBERG)
That should do it! A 22nd goal of the season for Kasper Dolberg, and a second of the tie, will surely be enough to send Ajax through to the final in Stockholm. Younes slipped the ball through for the Dane, who delicately lifted it over Lopes into the back of the net.
Lyon now need four goals without reply to force extra time. Fekir cuts inside onto his left boot but sends his curled attempt into an opposition player. Ajax in their element now, knowing that they are on the brink of a first Euro final in 22 years.
Around 3,000 travelling Ajax fans in the ground tonight, apparently, and all of a sudden it is they who are making all of the noise. Thirteen days between now and the final, and it is the Dutch side who will be competing in it.
Just when Les Gones were starting to look a little livelier, Ajax win back the ball and break forward in numbers - instant danger. In the end the visitors fail to create anything, but Bosz will not care all that much with his side 5-1 ahead.
With 10 minutes to go until the interval - or the three-quarter mark in the two-legged tie - Lyon essentially need a miracle. Traore charges towards goal but is clattered by the keeper when losing his footing, which leaves him requiring some treatment.
Man United doubled their lead early on in their semi-final meeting with Celta Vigo, incidentally, meaning that they have one leg in the Stockholm final 13 days from now. Ajax are, baring the ultimate collapse, also in the final.
Lacazette fails to find a way through and, when the ball falls nicely to Tolisso, he opted to take it on. Rather poor shot in the end, sending it wide of the target as the home side's frustrations grow by the minute.
Klaassen is picked out on the edge of the box, but can only blast wide of the target. If you had to put your money on the next goal, you would back Ajax to find it. The four-time European Cup winners looking bright in the final third.
Home fans starting to get agitated now, with their players failing to create anything. A strong 10-minute start to the match it may have been, but Onana has barely had anything to do in the Ajax goal. Half time now moments away.
PENALTY TO LYON!
GOAL! LYON 1-1 AJAX (ALEXANDRE LACAZETTE, PEN)
From near enough the final act of the first half, Lacazette sends Onana the wrong way to give Lyon a glimmer of hope. The penalty decision itself was a very tough one to call - referee Szymon Marciniak adjudging that De Ligt brought down Lacazette.
GOAL! LYON 2-1 AJAX (ALEXANDRE LACAZETTE)
Now then! Seventy-nine seconds after pulling one back, Lacazette adds another by tapping home from Cornet's cross. They may have been second best on the night but all of a sudden the French side are just about back in the contest!
HALF TIME: LYON 2-1 AJAX
After reading Lyon their last rites, Lacazette found the net twice in just over a minute to ensure that we still have a game on our hands. Dolberg's goal 27 minutes in looked to have killed the tie, but it is now 5-3 on aggregate and the hosts need just two more goals in the second half.
Despite last week's heavy loss in Amsterdam, Lyon knew heading into the match that they still had a glimmer of hope thanks to their impressive scoring stats this term that has seen them net at an average of more than four-a-game on home soil in this competition. Ajax had also failed to win on any of their past five visits to France, so when the hosts started the brighter of the two sides a comeback looked as though it could have been on the cards.
All Lyon had to show for their bright start was a shot on target from Mathieu Valbuena, whose away goal eight days ago ensured that the Ligue 1 outfit did at least have something left to fight for. Those lingering hopes of progression looked to have been killed off once Kasper Dolberg delicately dinked the ball over Anthony Lopes just short of the half-hour mark, however, finding the net at the end of a Amin Younes through-ball for goal number 22 of a burgeoning season.
Hakim Ziyech and Maxime Gonalons both had chances to find a way through in the minutes prior to that breakthrough moment, but for the next 15 minutes Ajax were really enjoying themselves and looked the more likely to add to the scoring. The whole complexion of the game changed in 79 first-half seconds at the end of the opening 45 minutes, however, as Alexandre Lacazette converted from the spot after being challenged by Matthijs De Ligt, before tapping home from Maxwel Cornet's cross moments later.
Plenty still to play for in this second half, then, with Lyon requiring two goals to achieve the unthinkable. Here is a quick reminder of both sides' benches at this midway point...
LYON SUBS: Darder, Ferri, Ghezzal, Gorgelin, Jallet, Rybus, Tousart
AJAX SUBS: Boer, Kluivert, Neres, Riedwald, Tete, Van de Beek, Westermann
RESTART! We are back under way at Parc Olympique Lyonnais. Younes cuts inside and looks for the far corner early on, but his attempt is blocked aside and Lyon are able to breath. They simply cannot concede another goal.
I mentioned a little earlier how Lyon have managed a rate of more than four goals a game at home in the Europa League this season, so they certainly have it in them to score at least another. Should they bag that third the pressure on Ajax will be huge.
YELLOW CARDS! Moments after Mouctar Diakhaby saw yellow, Joel Veltman went in with a strong challenge and was shown the game's fourth caution. The defender did get some of the ball but he followed through on his man.
YELLOW CARD! Cautions galore at the moment, as Davy Klaassen is booked for preventing a free kick from being taken early. Seconds later, Traore sent a tame attempt on goal at the end of a swift counter - Lopes easily collecting.
Such an open feel to this match right now - it is impossible to predict which way that eighth goal of the tie will go. Lacazette is given far too much time and space to cut inside, but he fails to keep his attempt on target from 22 yards.
This Ajax side is very inexperienced, remember, which is clear to see in their play at the moment because they are refusing to sit back and defend. No harm at the moment, with a two-goal lead still to sit back on, but another Lyon strike changes all that.
AJAX SUB! Donny van de Beek is on for Schone to take the average age of the side down to 22. Moments later, N'Kolou was shown a yellow for a strong challenge, but he will feel a little aggrieved to have entered the ref's book.
YELLOW CARD! Seven bookings now in a game that has not really had all that much of an edge, as Nabil Fekir is cautioned for his challenge. Rhythm of the match has been disrupted somewhat by all these fouls.
Past the hour mark at Parc Olympique Lyonnais now and the complexion of things has not changed since the interval. Lyon still desperately require two goals to force extra time, while Ajax know that one more of their own will make certain of things.
LYON SUB! Veltman off and Tete on for the visitors, as Bosz smartly looks to take the sting out of things. The defender was booked at the start of the half and the referee is dishing out yellows at will at the moment.
CHANCE! Big, big chance for Fekir - the chance that Lyon fans have been desperately holding out for. The ball fell nicely into his path and he was essentially one-on-one, albeit under pressure, but he blasted wide of goal.
YELLOW CARD! The Polish referee has shown plenty of yellows this evening, but this was the easiest of the lot - Nick Viergever going in from behind and rightly being cautioned. Tolisso then sent an acrobatic effort over the bar.
Another decent opening for Tolisso, which he fails to make the most of. Once the ball was cut back to him 15 yards from goal, he was unable to adjust his feet and could not test Onana. Ajax just having to hold on a little at the moment.
CHANCE! Chelsea loanee Traore with a good chance to wrap things up, but he sent his shot wide of goal when under pressure. Lyon getting desperate now, with 18 minutes of the match left to find a couple of goals.
LYON SUB! Rybus is on for Morel, with around 15 minutes left to play at Parc Olympique Lyonnais. The hosts have scored twice in two minutes already tonight, so they have it in them to do likewise in the remainder.
SAVE! Big stop from Onana to deny Maciej Rybus, who got forward well moments after coming on. Another change for Lyon now - Ghezzal on for Valbuena in a final roll of the dice from Gensio. Not long to go at all now!
OFF THE BAR! Ajax have had to soak up plenty of pressure over the past 10 or 15 minutes, but they were within the width of the bar of sealing things. Donny van de Beek with a fine curled effort, which crashed back off the frame of the goal.
GOAL! LYON 3-1 AJAX (RACHID GHEZZAL)
Ajax fans, look away now! Lyon have a third of the night, putting them to within just one goal of forcing extra time. Cornet's cross was met by Rachid Ghezzal, whose header deflected off Nick Viergever's leg and past Onana. Game on!
AJAX SUB! Bosz turns to Kluivert in place of Younes for the final seven minutes. Should Lyon find the net in that time then we will play another period of 30 minutes, though, so there may be some tired legs if Ajax fail to hold on.
RED CARD! Ajax are not making things easy for themselves, are they?! Nick Viergever with a needless challenge on Fekir to earn a second yellow of the match, meaning that the visitors will see this through with 10 men.
Lacazette with half a chance to produce one of the standout results of this competition, but he could not keep his awkward attempt down. Just constant pressure from the hosts now, who will feel confident of bagging a fourth of the night.
CLOSE! Inches! Cornet is left free in acres at the back post, but his drilled effort is wide of the far post. Lyon really should be on level terms on aggregate - they have had the chances to do so, yet failed to take them.
Ajax break and have three men over, but they cannot force out the chance. Tete required at the other end to deny Lacazette as the end-to-end feel to the game continues. This has been a real classic! Two more minutes of added time to come.
FULL TIME: LYON 3-1 AJAX
AJAX THROUGH TO EUROPA LEAGUE FINAL, 5-4 ON AGGREGATE!
The full-time whistle sounds at Parc Olympique Lyonnais, bringing an end to a real thriller. Even with Ajax 5-1 up you just sensed that Lyon could drag themselves into the game, having netted so frequently on home soil this term. They did just that, making it 5-4 with nine minutes to go, but in the end the task was too much and their European adventure is over.
That concludes Sports Mole's live text coverage of events from France. An on the-whistle-report can be found by clicking here, and if you want to see how Manchester United made it past Celta Vigo elsewhere this evening then head here. Thanks for joining!
