In a thrilling encounter, Sparta Prague overcame Lyon 2-1 in the first leg of their Champions League third round qualifying tie, despite trailing at halftime. The match, held at the epet ARENA, saw Corentin Tolisso's missed penalty prove costly for the French side.

First Half Highlights

Sparta Prague initially thought they had taken the lead when Jonatan Braut Brunes scored in the 20th minute, but the goal was disallowed for offside. Lyon managed to go into halftime with a 1-0 advantage after an unfortunate own goal from Martin Suchomel, who inadvertently redirected the ball past his own goalkeeper while attempting to tackle Tolisso.

Second Half Turnaround

The second half saw a dramatic shift as Sparta Prague came out strong. Matej Rynes equalized just after the hour mark, finishing a low drive past Lyon goalkeeper Dominik Greif following a well-placed pass from Andy Irving. Shortly after, Tolisso had the opportunity to restore Lyon's lead when Lois Openda won a penalty, but his shot sailed over the crossbar. Sparta then took the lead as John Mercado headed in from Rynes' cross, making it 2-1.

Sparta managed the game effectively after taking the lead, limiting Lyon to only half-chances while threatening on the counterattack. The hosts finished the match with a slight edge in expected goals, registering 1.29 xG compared to Lyon's 1.28, although Lyon's figure was boosted by the missed penalty.

With this victory, Sparta Prague will head into the second leg with confidence, while Lyon, under the management of Paulo Fonseca, will need to regroup and aim for a comeback at Groupama Stadium on August 11.