Johann Lepenant scored his first career goal and Anthony Lopes put in a superlative goalkeeping performance before Alexandre Lacazette added a second as Olympique Lyonnais picked up their first win in four with a 2-0 victory at AC Ajaccio.
AC Ajaccio 0-2 Olympique Lyonnais
THE MATCH:
Ajaccio began the day in the relegation zone, 10 points worse off than their 11th-placed visitors, but they started brightly at their Stade François Coty. Vincent Marchetti skipped past Dejan Lovren and let fly early on, with Lopes on his toes to deny the Corsican captain (14'). Mounaïm El Idrissy - back in the side following last Saturday's Coupe de France loss to Toulouse FC - then tried his luck from a tight angle, but Lopes was once again equal to the attempt on his goal (16'). It was against the run of play, then, when Lyon took the lead. Bradley Barcola did well to beat Mohamed Youssouf down the left and cut back for Lepenant, who was left with a simple finish for his first senior goal (20'). Barcola had a chance of his own soon after, but he fired wide (31'). Ajaccio kept pushing and Lopes did well to stop Bevic Moussiti-Oko's header at the near post (45'+4) before Thomas Léonard's whistle for half-time went with the score at 1-0.
Lyon pull clear
Neither side made any changes at the break and Ajaccio continued to pour forward after the restart. Ismaël Diallo slipped Moussiti-Oko through for another chance but Lopes raced off his line to quell the danger (50'). Thomas Mangani found Youcef Belaïli from the subsequent corner and when Lopes was finally beaten, by a header, he was saved by his post (51'). Lyon might have pulled further clear past the hour but Rayan Cherki fired high after Maxence Caqueret had found him in the box (65'). There was no such profligacy from Lacazette, though, the OL captain tapping Nicolas Tagliafico's low cross home to conclude the scoring at 2-0 (72'). Lyon pull back into the top half of the table with the win; Ajaccio remain 18th.
THE PLAYER: Anthony Lopes
Lepenant got his first goal and Barcola seized his chance with Tetê and Karl Toko Ekambi no longer at the club, but Lyon's victory wouldn't have been possible without Lopes' intervention. Consistently one of the best goalkeepers in Ligue 1 Uber Eats, the Portugal international has saved 75 per cent of shots on his goal this season, and all five he faced today.
THE STAT: 4
This was Lyon's first win in four, Ajaccio's fourth defeat in a row, and the fourth consecutive meeting between these sides in which les Gones have come out on top. The Corsicans haven't beat OL since September 2013, when Aboubacar Camara and Salim Arrache fired them to a 2-1 win at the Stade François Coty. Lyon pair Lopes and Alexandre Lacazette started that game and this.
Stade Brestois 29 4-0 Angers SCO
Stade Brestois 29 kept daylight between themselves and the relegation zone with a 4-0 thrashing of rock-bottom Angers SCO.
Jérémy Le Douaron and Franck Honorat had a goal and an assist each, with Steve Mounié and Pierre Lees-Melou got les Pirates' other goals at the Stade Francis-Le Blé.
RC Strasbourg Alsace 1-2 Toulouse FC
Elsewhere, Thijs Dalinga bagged a brace as Toulouse FC came from a Kévin Gameiro goal-down to win 2-1 at the Stade de la Meinau.
Le Racing are only above Ajaccio on goal-difference, with Toulouse 11 points away in 11th.
AJ Auxerre 0-2 Montpellier Hérault SC
Montpellier Hérault SC arrested a three-game losing run with a 2-0 victory at AJ Auxerre. Stephy Mavididi scored a double of his own while Birama Touré missed late penalty for the hosts.
Clermont Foot 63 0-0 FC Nantes
There was no separating Clermont Foot 63 and FC Nantes, the pair playing out a goalless draw at the Stade Gabriel Montpied. Les Canaris have now gone six games without defeat, but Clermont are five places and seven points better off in eighth.
