Lyon open CL season with 3-0 win over Dinamo Zagreb

Lyon, Sep 15 (IANS) Lyon showed their depth in their squad as they opened their Champions League football campaign with a 3-0 victory, hosting Group H opponents Dinamo Zagreb at the Parc OL here.

Missing five key players, including top striker Alexandre Lacazette, Lyon on Wednesday claimed the convincing win employing a squad packed with homegrown footballers, reports Xinhua.

Maxwel Cornet tested Adrian Semper with a close-range flick after just 10 minutes into the match, before Corentin Tolisso struck, sending a powerful header into the net from Rafael's cross three minutes later.

Jordan Ferri made it 2-0 on 49 minutes after bursting forward to clip a delicious shot over Semper and into the far corner.

And eight minutes later, Cornet raced onto a measured Tolisso pass to prod home Lyon's third.

Zagreb struck the woodwork twice in the 61st and 87th minute, but Rachid Ghezzal would have given Lyon a plumper cushion had Semper not smartly parried his angled drive at 81.

Lyon, who lost all three home group-stage games last season, will go to Spain to face La Liga side Sevilla on September 27.