Zimpapers Logo

Eddie Chikamhi Senior Sports Reporter

TINO Kadewere’s Olympic Lyon will play in the UEFA Europa League next season after a disappointing finish to the French Ligue 1 football campaign with a 2-3 defeat to visiting Nice at the weekend.

The Lyon-based side missed the UEFA Champions League football slot after finishing fourth in the championship race.

Kadewere, who had surgery last week, missed the final two rounds of the campaign.

Lyon were still in contention for Champions League football until the last day of the competition.

A victory for them on Sunday night could have secured third place, especially after their rivals Monaco had dropped points in a goalless draw with Lens. Lyon ended the campaign on 76 points while Monaco had 78 and will compete in the UEFA Champions League qualifying round.

Lille, who were crowned Ligue 1 champions, and runnerd-up Paris Saint-Germain clinched the two tickets for Champions League football.

Kadewere has been nagged by injuries in his debut season in the French Ligue 1.

But the Zimbabwean made his mark, after carrying over with the blistering form that won him the Golden Boot in the Ligue 2 with Le Havre in 2020.

Eventually, he scored 10 goals and made three assists in 33 appearances for Lyon.

His season ended with two rounds of matches remaining because of injuries.

Kadewere is currently recovering from an operation he underwent last week.

He last featured for his side on May 8 when they beat Lorient 4-1.

Another Zimbabwean in Ligue 1, Marshall Munetsi, was not included in the squad as Stade de Reims lost their final match of the season 0-1 to Bordeaux on Sunday night.

Reims finished  14th place with 42 points.

They were just two points clear off the relegation play-offs.

Nantes, who sat third from the bottom, will be involved in the play-offs.

Nimes and Dijon have since been relegated.