Lyon beat Steaua 5-3 in thriller
Reuters - Tuesday 21 October 2008, 22:33
BUCHAREST - Two goals each from Karim Benzema and substitute Fred helped Olympique Lyon come from behind to beat Steaua Bucharest 5-3 in a thrilling Champions League Group F match on Tuesday.
Steaua led 2-0 after 10 minutes thanks to Brazilian striker Arthuro's header and a goal from central defender Dorin Goian.
Kader Keita pulled one back with a volley after a Juninho cross before Benzema headed in an equaliser in the middle of the first half.
Ovidiu Petre put Steaua ahead again when he headed home a corner just before the break.
The visitors looked a constant threat and their pressure paid off handsomely after the interval.
"We believed in our chance at the break," Benzema said in televised comments.
"We knew that we had to score if we wanted to win and in the second half we went on the attack."
Benzema praised Steaua saying he expected a difficult match when they visit Lyon next month.
"I'm sure that we will have problems and our qualification is not certain yet," he said.
The French champions drew level at 3-3 when Fred grabbed a 70th-minute goal from a rebound.
GOOD SAVES
Steaua keeper Robinson Zapata made several good saves but could not prevent Benzema slotting home in the 73rd after a 40-metre free kick by Juninho that shot over the Steaua defence, giving Lyon the lead for the first time in the match.
Brazilian forward Fred scored his second in stoppage time to make certain that the three points went to Lyon.
"We failed to continue playing the way we started and we gifted Lyon the victory, offering them excellent chances to score," Steaua coach Marius Lacatus said.
"They did not hang around and they killed us off."
Lyon are second in the table with five points from three matches, two points behind leaders Bayern Munich who beat Fiorentina 3-0. Steaua are bottom with one point.
Lyon coach Claude Puel was pleased with his players' attitude which he said was "magnificent".
"I knew that if we upped the tempo the win would come," he said. "But we have not qualified yet."
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