A goal from Karim Benzema four minutes from time enabled Olympique Lyon to salvage a 2-2 draw with Fiorentina in their opening Champions League Group F match on Wednesday.

Striker Alberto Gilardino put the visitors in front against the run of play on 12 minutes, heading home a Luciano Zauri cross, and doubled their advantage shortly before the break with another header, this time from a cross by Felipe Melo.

Seven-times French champions Lyon, who have never advanced past the quarter-finals of European club soccer's premier event, scored on 73 minutes when substitute striker Frederic Piquionne tapped in from a Benzema pass.

 
France striker Benzema then saved Lyon from defeat with an angled effort from inside the box after a Juninho free kick.

The Fiorentina players protested after Lyon's first goal because Zauri, who had been hurt in a clash with Sidney Govou, was lying on the ground in the box when it was scored.

Relying on counter-attacks, Fiorentina made the most of their rare opportunities and of the scoring instinct of newcomer Gilardino, who joined them from AC Milan, but it was not enough to win.

The home side were clearly on top in the opening stages and came close when Brazilian forward Fred narrowly missed the target from close range on seven minutes.

Lyon, however, needed time to recover after falling behind and their next clear chance was not until the half-hour, when Fiorentina's French keeper Sebastien Frey did well to save a shot from midfielder Jeremy Toulalan.

Lyon threatened again on 38 minutes when a header by Fred from a cross by Anthony Reveillere went just wide but Gilardino was then on target again and they trailed 2-0 at halftime.

Fiorentina resisted under sustained pressure in the second half, Frey notably punching out a powerful shot from Benzema on 52 minutes and a distant Juninho free kick 17 minutes later, but Lyon eventually pulled two back.