Speedy Benzema breaks Lyon hearts in Real draw

LYON, France, (Reuters) – Real Madrid’s Karim Benzema  was cheered by his former Olympique Lyon fans when he came off  the bench but 43 seconds later they were stunned into silence as  he opened the scoring in a 1-1 Champions League first-leg draw.

The very best Hollywood scriptwriter would have struggled to  have penned it better and although Bafetimbi Gomis grabbed an  equaliser after 83 minutes, Real managed to take something away  from the Stade Gerland for the first time in four visits.

Nine times winners Real have gone out in the first knockout  round in each of the last six seasons, including here in  France’s third city last year, but after the swiftest of  big-stage cameos they are now in the driving seat.

Benzema, who helped Lyon win four Ligue 1 titles before  joining Real in 2009, wriggled through in the box to slot home  after 65 minutes. After the match the Frenchman gave his shirt  to some adoring Lyon fans who forgave him for doing his duty.

“It’s a great result because we are away from home, it was  an important goal for the team. It’s a really, really good  moment,” the striker said, eyeing the return leg on March 16.
“I didn’t celebrate, I respect everyone here. It’s the first  time I’ve scored a goal so quickly.”