Olympique Lyon vs Manchester United 1-1 Champions League Goal Highlights 20-02-2008

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Goals: Benzema 54' - Tevez 87'

Manchester United needed a late strike from substitute Carlos Tevez to salvage a 1-1 draw at Olympique Lyon in the first leg of their Champions League first knockout round tie on Wednesday.

Argentine striker Tevez fired in from close range three minutes from time after a cross by Nani took a deflection off Lyon striker Fred.

France forward Karim Benzema had put Lyon ahead with a low drive from 20 metres that bounced off the post and into the net on 54 minutes.

Lyon, inconsistent in Ligue 1, produced a spirited challenge but face a daunting task in the return leg at Old Trafford.

For that match they will miss wing back Antony Reveillere, who carried a yellow card into the game and was booked for a first-half challenge on Cristiano Ronaldo.

Lyon made a bright start, Sidney Govou and Benzema trying their luck in the first 10 minutes with shots which failed to surprise Edwin van der Sar.

The home side kept the pressure on and United survived a fright on 23 minutes when defender Rio Ferdinand nearly beat Van der Sar by miskicking a seemingly harmless cross from Lyon midfielder Jeremy Toulalan.

United woke up after that scare and created their first clear chance two minutes later when Wayne Rooney raced into the box, only to lose his duel with France goalkeeper Gregory Coupet.

Benzema then showed his class, collecting a short pass from Toulalan and smoothly turning to leave Van der Sar no chance.

After moving in front, Lyon resisted under sustained but clumsy pressure from United, who looked far less impressive than when they hammered Arsenal 4-0 in the FA Cup on Saturday.

Manager Alex Ferguson then tried to inject a new lease of life by sending on Nani and Tevez. It paid off handsomely.

The last few minutes belonged to the visitors with and angled free kick from Ronaldo that Coupet did well to save, a Tevez shot straight at the Lyon keeper from the edge of the box, and finally the equaliser.

“Nani provided a greater threat for us,” Ferguson told Sky Sports. “Carlos Tevez scored an important goal. It was a decent result without question. We count our blessings that we got back (into the match)”.

Lyon: Coupet, Reveillere, Squillaci, Boumsong, Grosso, Clerc (Ben Arfa, 78'), Juninho (Bodmer, 73'), Toulalan, Kallstrom, Govou, Benzema (Fred, 83').

Man Utd: Van der Sar, Brown, Ferdinand, Vidic, Evra, Ronaldo, Scholes (Tevez, 65'), Hargreaves (Carrick, 78'), Anderson, Giggs (Nani, 65'), Rooney.