DECINES-CHARPIEU, France (Interstat) — In a chaotic and contentious opening match of the Ligue 1 season, Olympique Lyonnais and AC Ajaccio battled to a 3-3 draw Sunday at Groupama Stadium, a result that defied pregame projections and unfolded amid a flurry of cards and a pivotal early red card.

The match, which kicked off the 2026 French top-flight campaign, saw Lyon squander a two-goal lead after playing more than an hour with 10 men. Interstat’s game simulator had projected a Lyon victory by a score of 2-1, with their ELO system giving the home side a 92 percent probability to win. Those forecasts appeared accurate early as Lyon dominated the opening half-hour.

The home side struck first in the 12th minute. Brazilian midfielder Mateus Cardoso Lemos Martins, commonly known as Mateus, finished a play set up by captain Alexandre Lacazette to give Lyon the lead. Lacazette then turned scorer in the 22nd minute, doubling the advantage with an assist from Stefano Fiore.

The match’s complexion changed drastically in the 27th minute when Lyon goalkeeper Anthony Lopes was shown a straight red card, forcing his team to reorganize and play a man down. Ajaccio capitalized just four minutes later. Veteran midfielder Thomas Mangani, a second-half substitute who had just entered the match, pulled a goal back for the visitors in the 31st minute, assisted again by Fiore.

The game descended into a fractious affair, particularly in the minutes following the red card and Ajaccio’s goal. Five yellow cards were issued between the 33rd and 41st minutes, including one to Lyon’s goal-scorer Lacazette. Ajaccio accounted for four of those cautions, to Cédric Avinel, Romain Hamouma, Mounaïm El Idrissy and Ismaël Diallo.

Despite the numerical disadvantage, Lyon managed to hold its slim lead until the final moments of regulation. Ajaccio, however, found two late goals to complete a stunning comeback and steal a point on the road. The equalizer deep into second-half stoppage time secured a dramatic draw for the Corsican side.

The result leaves both teams with a single point from the opening week. For Ajaccio, it marks a resilient start to their league season, adding a draw to a loss in Ligue 1 play. Their form across all competitions this season now stands at two wins, one loss and two draws.

For Lyon, the draw feels like a missed opportunity at home, dropping two points from a commanding early position. It continues an inconsistent run of form for the club, which had routed Montpellier 4-1 in a match just one day prior to this contest. In Ligue 1, Lyon’s record now stands at 12 wins, seven losses and two draws this season. Their overall record across all competitions in the 2025-2026 campaign is 14 wins, 13 losses and two draws.

Lyon will look to rebound in its next match on May 3 against Stade Rennais at Groupama Stadium. Ajaccio’s next Ligue 1 fixture was not listed in the provided information.