SOCCER/Champions League quarter-finals, first leg/Lyon 0 AC Milan 0: Gerard Houllier predicted this match, and with it the quarter-final, would turn on "one or two flashes of brilliance". Dominic Fifield reports from Stade Gerland
Those have now been reserved for San Siro and next week's second leg though, having withstood Milan without their best player, Juninho, Lyon retain belief that an intriguing tie could yet veer their way. The Brazilian returns on Tuesday; Houllier will hope one of those flashes is his.
Milan departed last night livid that their early ascendancy had not yielded a lead and, in that, the French will take heart.
By the end, Lyon were playing the more coherent football and threatening to pluck a winner. There was relief in Dida's flop on to a scuffed attempt from Sylvain Wiltord at the death.
Milan will know that the French will be potent on the break in Italy and that, if redemption for Istanbul is to be achieved, they must conjure a way of dismantling impressive opponents.
There was a sense of France uniting behind Lyon for this tie, the editorial in L'Equipe declaring the team's pursuit of a place in the semi-finals was une cause nationale. The din which shook the banks of the Rhone before kick-off, with accompanying flares sending plumes of smoke across the turf, reflected this club's urgent desire to add continental success to domestic dominance.
The locals retained their verve even as Milan threatened to choke the optimism from their side in the opening exchanges. The tie might have been settled in the opening 13 minutes, so impressive were the Italians as Lyon, gripped by nerves, retreated into their shells.
Milan monopolised possession, leaving opponents wheezing, but - critically - they were anything but ruthless. Kaka cut in early from the left flank, avoiding his Brazilian compatriot Cris's lung, only to drag his shot marginally wide to set a profligate tone. Yet it was Andriy Shevchenko who had most reason to curse.
The Ukrainian twice forced Gregory Coupet to divert shots away with his trailing leg, first from Gennaro Gattuso's pass, then by the elusive Serginho's centre and Alberto Gilardino's knock-back. Coupet appeared to have given up on the second attempt, driven from the edge of the area, but somehow thrust out a foot to save.
Shevchenko was perplexed, and his mood darkened further when the France goalkeeper pawed away his drive on the stroke of half-time.
Houllier, muttering on the touchline, appeared harassed, though, by then, his side had roused themselves. Much depended on Mahamadou Diarra's leggy presence wresting some sort of control of central midfield, though it was Benoit Pedretti, replacing the suspended Juninho, who might have secured an unlikely first-half lead.
The midfielder took time to find his range but whipped a vicious inswinging free-kick towards the muddle in the six-yard box. The ball scuttled through with Dida, reacting smartly, leaping to touch it behind. Milan had been warned.
Their response was to return to keep-ball football, Andrea Pirlo encouraging his side to ping passes among themselves as the French gasped around them. Yet, that possession was enjoyed in withdrawn territory and Lyon emerged unscathed with their own bite on the break.
The former Chelsea midfielder Tiago Mendes saw a low shot deflected by Serginho's heel. Then the midfielder dribbled dangerously forwards as Lyon pressed.
They were pepped by the Brazilian Fred's introduction, the striker's energy stretching Kakha Kaladze and Alessandro Nesta where John Carew's physique had failed to make an impression. That offered Lyon hope, as did Tiago's swerving shot that Dida palmed over. But Tiago's night ended with a caution that keeps him out of the return.
LYON: Coupet, Clerc, Cris, Cacapa, Abidal, Tiago, Diarra, Pedretti (Clement 68), Wiltord, Carew (Fred 63), Malouda. Subs Not Used: Vercoutre, Muller, Reveillere, Govou, Benzema. Booked: Tiago.
AC MILAN: Dida, Costacurta (Maldini 62), Nesta, Kaladze, Serginho, Gattuso, Pirlo (Vogel 85), Seedorf, Kaka, Gilardino (Inzaghi 62), Shevchenko.Subs Not Used: Kalac, Rui Costa, Simic, Jankulovski. Booked: Costacurta.
Referee: Konrad Plautz (Austria).
