Memphis Depay scored twice, including a superb free-kick, as Lyon beat ten-man Strasbourg 3-0 on Saturday night to claim provisional top spot in the Ligue 1 Uber Eats table. Rennes and Lens played out a goalless draw while Lorient beat Reims.
THE MATCH
With Lille and Paris Saint-Germain both playing on Sunday, Lyon had a chance to up the pressure on their title rivals, and Adrien Thomasson's red card on 14 minutes — the Strasbourg midfielder picking up a second yellow card for dissent immediately after being booked for a foul on Thiago Mendes — made the hosts' task considerably easier.
They didn't take long to take advantage. Sanjin Prcic was played into trouble by Anthony Caci, and Memphis Depay was able to break and confidently slip the ball beyond Eiji Kawashima for his 12th Ligue 1 Uber Eats goal of the season (20').
The Netherlands international then saw Kawashima brilliantly push a goalbound free-kick onto a post (26'), but the Strasbourg goalkeeper was helpless to prevent Karl Toko Ekambi chipping home Lyon's second after he had been played through by Thiago Mendes (30').
A stunning team move that involved two backheels and a sublime reverse pass from Lucas Paqueta should have seen Tino Kadewere score a third — and take his top-flight tally into double figures — but the Zimbabwe international shot over with only Kawashima to beat (32').
Kevin Zohi broke clear early in the second half as Strasbourg burst out of the gate after the interval, but his tame shot was easily gathered by Anthony Lopes (47') as Lyon mostly gave their goalkeeper an exclusively watching brief for the second half.
With the Coupe de France tie against second division outfit AC Ajaccio coming up on Tuesday, the hosts saved themselves, but Depay did bend a superb free-kick into the top corner for a third (68') while Toko Ekambi should at least have tested Kawashima (86') when presented with an opportunity to make it four.
THE PLAYER: Memphis Depay
The Lyon captain took his season's tally to 13 top-flight goals and was again the top performer on show for many reasons. Could his class carry OL all the way to the title?
THE STAT: 21
Lyon have now lost just once in their last 21 league games.
Elsewhere, Laurent Abergel scored the only goal of the game as Lorient beat Reims to give their survival hopes a major shot in the arm. Abergel was involved in his third goal in as many top-flight games when he struck on 53 minutes to give the Breton club their third win in their last six league games and lift them out of the bottom three. Rennes look likely to lose ground on the top three as they were held to a goalless draw at Lens.
