Lyon 6 – 3 St. Gallen (International Club Friendly, 11 July 2026)

Match Overview

Olympique Lyonnais kicked off their pre‑season preparations with a thrilling 6‑3 victory over Swiss side St. Gallen at the Groupama Stadium. The match, played on 11 July 2026, saw Lyon’s attack fire on all cylinders as the Ligue 1 side overwhelmed their visitors in a high‑scoring friendly.

Key Moments

• 1st half blitz: Lyon raced into a 3‑1 lead inside the first 30 minutes, with goals from Alexandre Lacazette, Rayan Cherki, and a thunderous strike from Malick Fofana.
• St. Gallen fightback: The Swiss side pulled one back through Willem Geubbels just before the break, making it 3‑2 at halftime.
• Second half surge: Lyon reasserted control after the interval. A quickfire double from Ernest Nuamah and another from Gift Orban put the hosts 6‑2 ahead.
• Late consolation: St. Gallen’s Chadrac Akolo scored a fine solo effort in the 82nd minute to round out the scoring at 6‑3.

Tactical Story

Lyon head coach Pierre Sage fielded a strong starting XI, using the friendly to build fitness and chemistry. The home side pressed high from the outset, forcing St. Gallen into errors in their own half. Lyon’s fluid front four constantly interchanged positions, making it difficult for the Swiss defence to track runners. St. Gallen, meanwhile, showed moments of quality on the counter‑attack, particularly through Geubbels and Akolo, but defensive lapses cost them dearly.

Standout Players

• Rayan Cherki (Lyon): The creative spark – two assists and a goal, constantly drifting into pockets of space.
• Ernest Nuamah (Lyon): Electric pace and two second‑half goals underlined his growing importance to the squad.
• Chadrac Akolo (St. Gallen): A lively performance capped with a fine individual strike.

Preseason Context

For Lyon, this was the first of several summer friendlies ahead of the 2026‑27 Ligue 1 campaign. The 6‑3 scoreline will please Sage in terms of attacking output, though the three goals conceded highlight defensive work still needed. St. Gallen continue their own preparations for the Swiss Super League season, and coach Enrico Maassen will take positives from their ability to create chances against a top‑tier opponent.