Nice and easy for Lyon
Last Updated: December 22, 2012 9:43pm
Lisandro Lopez: Scored for Lyon
Lyon maintained their charge for the Ligue 1 title after an easy win over Nice at the Stade de Gerland on Saturday evening.
Goals from Lisandro Lopez, Anthony Reveillere and a Bafetimbi Gomis penalty saw them to victory as they went level with Paris St Germain at the top of the table.
It was an unhappy return to Lyon for former boss Claude Puel whose side ended the match with 10 men after David Ospina was sent off in the build-up to the Gomis spot kick.
Lyon's Dejan Lovren saw red after picking up a second yellow late on in what was the only negative of the night for Remi Garde's men.
Lyon came into the match having won four of their last five home matches but it was the visitors who started strongly with Dario Cvitanich twice going close.
After seven minutes he volleyed over when well placed before forcing Remy Vercoutre into an excellent reflex save.
That kickstarted Lyon into life as a Lopez drive from 20 yards was blocked by Ospina before Reveillere hit the post.
After 39 minutes they made the breakthrough as Rachid Ghezzal played in Gomis down the right, who then crossed for Lopez to finish from close range.
Ten minutes after the restart and they were two up as Lopez turned provider, beating three defenders and then passing to Reveillere to score from close range.
Nice missed a golden chance to reduce the arrears after 64 minutes but an unmarked Mahamane Traore could not convert from inside the box with Vercoutre pulling off a tremendous save.
It got worse for the visitors when, with 14 minutes left, Ospina was shown a straight red after bringing down Gomis, with the striker putting away the spot kick and although Lovren evened the numbers late on it made no impact on the scoreline.
Matches
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French Ligue 1
Table
French Ligue 1
| Pos | Team | P | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Paris St Germain | 38 | 83 |
| 2 | Marseille | 38 | 71 |
| 3 | Lyon | 38 | 67 |
| 4 | Nice | 38 | 64 |
| 5 | St Etienne | 38 | 63 |
| 6 | Lille | 38 | 62 |
| 7 | Bordeaux | 38 | 55 |
| 8 | Lorient | 38 | 53 |
| 9 | Montpellier | 38 | 52 |
| 10 | Toulouse | 38 | 51 |
| 11 | Valenciennes | 38 | 48 |
| 12 | Bastia | 38 | 47 |
| 13 | Rennes | 38 | 46 |
| 14 | Reims | 38 | 43 |
| 15 | Sochaux | 38 | 41 |
| 16 | Evian Thonon Gaillar | 38 | 40 |
| 17 | AC Ajaccio | 38 | 40 |
| 18 | Nancy | 38 | 38 |
| 19 | Troyes | 38 | 37 |
| 20 | Brest | 38 | 29 |
