There were 93 minutes on the clock when substitute Memphis Depay sent a perfect right-footed shot into the top corner of the net.

The Parc OL exploded, and even the Dutchman, who celebrated the moment simply by putting his fingers in his ears, could not remain immune to the reaction after his dramatic winning goal against Paris Saint-Germain.

But while it was former Manchester United striker Depay who received the applause and the spotlight for his goal, the hard work had been done by the starters.

With just 23 years of age, Depay is still a young player, yet for Lyon he is almost a veteran.

With Depay starting from the bench, the midfield and attacking lineup of OL had an average age of just 21 years.

The young figures of Bruno Genesio, in any case, not only showed outstanding attitude. For long periods of Sunday's match, this group actually outplayed their rivals.

The whole team played very well, but the midfield stood out, where Lucas Tousart and Tanguy Ndombele, with a combined age of 41 years between them, outperformed the previously dominant midfielders of the French capital side.

For Ndombele, considered the next Michael Essien, it was a true revelation in the match. Signed from Amiens at the start of the season, he made a great impression until Houssem Aouar, at just 19 years old, earned a spot on the team. Now both have been so impressive that Genesio has had to make room for both of them.

Nabil Fekir, who also looked impressive with a great free kick just two minutes into the match, was declared the Man of the Match, but the playmaker said: "I think Ndombele deserved it more than me. He has given a lot to the team."

In reflection of Lyon's youth, Fekir, at only 24 years old, is not only the captain but also a leader who provides maturity to the rest of the team.

It is a role he has embraced impressively this season, especially after the departure of Alexandre Lacazette, which cast doubt on the team's ability to remain in the top three of Ligue 1.

As has happened in the past, the combination of Lyon's academy with good signings has been the key to maintaining competitiveness.

Mariano Diaz, signed from Real Madrid for 8 million euros, has already scored 13 goals in the league, establishing himself as a great signing. Maxwel Cornet and Lucas Tousart made their professional debuts with other clubs but have been polished at Lyon.

The attack of PSG on Sunday, even without Neymar, had a market value of over 200 million euros; the midfield and attack of Lyon cost less than 20 million in transfers.

The team of Jean-Michel Aulas has shown that it is possible to compete with PSG if good work is done in the youth academy and a perfectly executed game plan is in place. Now the challenge is to finish second in Ligue 1 and once again leave a good impression in the Europa League.

Even if these objectives are out of reach this season, Lyon's continued production of young talent remains unmatched in France, perhaps even in all of Europe. The current group has shown that they have a great eye for the spectacular.