Sparta PrahaL30 Aug · Home Slavia Praha · 0:3L6 Sep · Away Hradec Králové · 1:2W9 Sep · Away Viktoria Žižkov · 5:0W12 Sep · Home FK Jablonec · 2:0W16 Sep · Away Ararat-Armenia · 4:1W20 Sep · Away Sigma Olomouc · 3:0
2:1
Finished
Kick-off was
BST
LyonL26 Aug · Home Fenerbahce · 1:2D29 Aug · Home LE Havre AC · 1:1W4 Sep · Home Auxerre · 3:1D12 Sep · Away Paris FC · 0:0W16 Sep · Away Anderlecht · 2:1W19 Sep · Home Rennes FC · 4:0
In the UEFA Champions League game on 4 August 2026, Sparta Praha beat Lyon 2:1. Match numbers: shots on target 3:4, corners 6:9.
Match report
Sparta Prague held on for a 2-1 victory over Lyon in the Champions League third qualifying round on Tuesday. The hosts took the lead through M. Rynes' 63rd-minute strike and sealed it when J. Mercado added a second shortly after. Lyon's hopes were dented by a missed penalty from C. Tolisso in the 67th minute.
And here's the thing about this match — it wasn't decided in the open play. The opening goal was an own goal by M. Suchomel on 45 minutes, but Sparta's first real chance came earlier. J. Brunes thought he had opened the scoring on 20 minutes before VAR ruled him offside. That moment set the tone for a game where Sparta controlled territory but Lyon threatened on the break.
By then, the statistics told a familiar story. Sparta registered 109 attacks compared to Lyon's 48, with 52 per cent possession. They created three big chances against one for the visitors. Yet Lyon had four shots on target to Sparta's three, and their expected goals figure of 1.28 matched their opponents'. The visitors were second to everything in possession but dangerous when they stretched the back line.
The turning point came after Tolisso's penalty miss. Lyon had chances to equalise, but goalkeeper saves kept Sparta ahead. Substitutions followed — A. Irving and M. Ouedraogo among those brought on — as both sides looked to see out the result. Sparta closed the game out through discipline and experience.
The victory puts Sparta Prague one step closer to the group stage. Lyon, who lost 0-4 to Real Betis in their last outing, now face an uphill battle. The aggregate scoreline will depend on how the return leg unfolds, but Tuesday's result suggests the Czech side have one foot in the next round.
Prepared from match data
Key numbers
Possession, %52–48
Shots on target3–4
Shots off target5–3
Expected goals1.29–1.28
HT20' J. Brunes — var_goal_cancelled_-_offside⚽45' M. Suchomel — Own goal⚽63' M. Rynes — Goal🟨66' A. Karabec — Yellow card✗67' C. Tolisso — Penalty missed⚽69' J. Mercado — Goal⇄75' A. Irving — Substitution⇄76' M. Ouedraogo — Substitution⇄84' J. Alcocer — Substitution⇄85' A. Karabec — Substitution⇄90+2' J. Mercado — Substitution🟨90+4' M. Rynes — Yellow card
L26 Aug · Home Fenerbahce · 1:2D29 Aug · Home LE Havre AC · 1:1W4 Sep · Home Auxerre · 3:1D12 Sep · Away Paris FC · 0:0W16 Sep · Away Anderlecht · 2:1W19 Sep · Home Rennes FC · 4:0
