Lyon's nightmare week continued, but the club's American did have a moment to remember.
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Tessmann scores first Ligue 1 goalLyon fall to Saint-EtienneDefeat comes following heartbreaking Europa League exitFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱AFPWHAT HAPPENED?
U.S. international Tanner Tessmann scored his first Ligue 1 goal, but it wasn't enough as they fell 2-1 to Saint-Etienne.
Lyon's hopes of qualifying for the UEFA Champions League took a hit as a result, with Lucas Stassin scoring both goals for hosts Saint-Etienne, netting in either half to lead his team to victory.
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Tessmann was a bright spot for OL, though, as the U.S. men's national team midfielder provided a fantastic finish to give his side a chance. The goal was preceded by some incredible footwork from the midfielder, who patiently dribbled around his defender twice before picking out a corner for the goal.
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The backbreaking Ligue 1 loss comes on the heels of an even worse loss in the Europa League. Lyon were eliminated from the competition on Thursday, squandering a late lead by conceding two goals to Manchester United to exit the tournament in heartbreaking fashion.
Getting back into Europe will now be a challenge. The club currently sits sixth in Ligue 1, good for a Europa Conference League spot, on 51 points. Lyon are just four points behind second-place Marseille, though. There are also just seven points between them and ninth-place Brest, while seventh-place Lens is level on 51 points but trailing due to goal difference. It all sets up a frantic end to the Ligue 1 season with teams jostling for European spots behind champions PSG.
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With the goal, Tessmann joined Jordan Pefok to make a little bit of history. The two became the first American players to score on the same day in Ligue 1, with Pefok netting in a win over Mark McKenzie's Toulouse.
AFPWHAT NEXT FOR LYON?
Having now lost two in a row, Lyon will now look to rebound on Saturday when they return home to host Rennes with just four games remaining in the Ligue 1 campaign.