Dubai: Debutants Olympique Lyon of France signed off with a 2-1 win against defending champions Al Hilal of Saudi Arabia to win the seventh Hamdan Bin Mohammad U-17 International Football Tournament that concluded at the Dubai Police Officers Club late on Sunday.
Making their debut in the competition, Lyon proved to be the better side with all three goals coming in the second half. Skipper Mohammad Bahlouli gave the French side the lead in the 53rd minute only to see substitute Turki Fahad Al Mutairi bring Al Hilal back on level terms in the 65th minute.
Lyon continued pressing and were rewarded with the second goal when Willem Geubbeis poked in past Abdullah Yahya on the Saudi goal in the 75th minute. This was also a perfect parting gift for Lyon coach Armand Garrido as he takes over the senior Reserve team with the French champions starting in June.
“We played the way we wanted to and one of the things we had decided was to preserve our energy especially in the first half. We knew our opponents would get frustrated and start opening up the game in search of goals,” Garrido told Gulf News.
That was exactly what happened as Lyon came close within three minutes of the second half, but were denied by the framework. However, the French champions — who are in second place in the junior league back home with two matches still remaining — got the goal they wanted on the 53rd minute when skipper Bahlouli coolly slammed home from the top of the box.
But the defending champions just persevered, and they didn’t have to wait for long as substitute Al Mutairi broke the off-side trap and slotted past Lucas Margueron on the Lyon goal in the 65th minute. The equaliser further opened up the game as both teams went after a second goal. It was the French team that was rewarded as a snap move through the heart of the Al Hilal defence saw Theo N’Dicka slip sidewards for Geubbels to score what proved to be the match-winner.
“I couldn’t have asked for anything better than finishing with an outstation trophy,” Garrido said.
“It’s back home now and two more matches remaining before we wrap up the league in second place this season. It would have been a great joy for me to sign off with the league crown as well, but that was not meant to be,” he added.
After the last two matches against eighth-placed Clermont on April 23 and the final away tie against fifth-placed Lyon FC, Garrido is scheduled to be promoted as coach of the Reserves team. “It’s a new challenge for me and I am sure this trophy will give me a great sensation and confidence in my new role after being with the under-17s for 27 years,” Garrido related.
Players who have been with Garrido during his tenure with the Lyon juniors include Kanoute, Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema and Paris Saint-Germain playmaker Hatem Ben Arfa, to name a few. “More than 100 players who were juniors with me are successful professionals at various clubs all over the world, and I wish them well,” he said.
STANDINGS
Best Goalkeeper: Federico Adorni (AS Roma)
Best Player: Hamad Abdan Al Abdan (Al Hilal)
Top Scorer: Esteban Le Paul (Olympique Lyon)
Champions: Olympique Lyon, France
Runners-up: Al Hilal, Saudi Arabia
Third Place: Borussia Dortmund, Germany
Fourth Place: AS Roma, Italy
