Lyon vs. Paris Saint-Germain: PSG Come Back from the Dead, Earn 4-4 Draw

Olympique Lyonnais have made it a habit of engaging in high-scoring drama over the course of the past few seasons.

On Nov. 8, 2009, they had played in an unforgettable 5-5 draw with Olympique de Marseille (the eventual Ligue 1 champions that May), a match that French newspaper L'Equipe had called one of the greatest ever played in France.

Lyon had come back from a 4-2 deficit in that match to take a 5-4 lead, only to see Les Marseillais come roaring back to earn a draw after a Jeremy Toulalan own-goal.

Less than one month later, they had lost to Lille 4-3, a match in which they'd also led, this time 3-1 at the half. The fireworks just kept on coming, and they were heading straight at Lyon.

More than two years have since passed, but Lyon's defensive inefficiencies remain just as glaring as they once were.

On Saturday, they hosted second-placed Paris Saint-Germain at the Stade de Gerland in a match they will rue for days, perhaps months, to come.

Once again, they found themselves unable to put their opponent away. And once again, it cost them dearly.

You might have forgiven Les Gones if they had thought themselves high and dry with successive 3-1 and 4-2 leads over the visitors.

But Paris, playing in their first league match since a sensational 2-2 draw against first-place Montpellier last weekend—one where they'd grabbed the equalizing goal in the 88th minute by way of striker Guillaume Hoarau's toe-poke finish in front of goal after splendid work from Jeremy Menez on the wing—had other ideas.

Hoarau, once thought to be on his way out after receiving minimal playing time under previous manager Antoine Kombouare, would once again play the role of savior for his side, heading home Paris' fourth and final goal on the last play of the game.

It was the sort of drama one expects of a match between two heavyweights such as these.

It was the sort of drama Lyon fans have come to rue, as they watched their side lose a crucial two points. Had they won, Lyon would have found themselves three points off third place, the last Champions League spot.

Instead, they now sit five points removed.

From a PSG perspective, that Hoarau header may well prove a crucial moment in their title run, as the draw kept them abreast of the southern league leaders, who maintain a one-point advantage over the capital side.

Lyon sit in fifth place with 40 points, 13 removed from Montpellier in that top spot.

For Hoarau, the past seven days have been a sort of vindication for a man once mired in what appeared to be an irreversible downward spiral.

The lanky striker, with PSG since 2008 when he joined from Le Havre, was one of Laurent Blanc's first-choice strikers when the France manager took the helm in August of 2010.

Hoarau started in that ignominious 1-0 defeat against Belarus at the Stade de France in September of that year, however, and has since faded from the spotlight. He has been named to Blanc's side since, but has not enjoyed the same kind of playing time.

This season has been particularly moribund for the 27-year-old, who had made just four appearances (one start) for PSG under Kombouare.

With Carlo Ancelotti now manning the post, however, it seems he has found new life. Saturday's start was his first since PSG's league opener against Lorient back in August (a 1-0 loss at home), and he made it count.

Laurent Blanc will have been keeping tabs on his brace.

With PSG teammate Kevin Gameiro struggling for form—he has just two goals in his last 14 matches—Hoarau may just fancy himself a late comer to Blanc's 23-man roster for this summer's European Championships.

Where PSG are concerned, an in-form Hoarau brimming with confidence is an added asset for a title push.