Fabio Grosso was delighted to see Lyon register their first win of the season after a 1-0 victory at Rennes on Sunday but warned his stars that there is plenty of work left to be done to steer the club away from the drop zone.
The Lyon boss watched on as his side finally claimed a much-elusive three points thanks to Irish centre-back Jake O'Brien's 67th-minute header.
The seven-time Ligue 1 Uber Eats champions were handed a huge boost early on when Rennes' Guela Doué was given his marching orders after just four minutes for a reckless challenge on Nicolas Tagliafico.
Lyon had to wait to make the numerical advantage count and a disciplined display enabled Grosso's men to keep the Breton club at bay.
"We are happy, but we know that the journey will still be long," said Grosso after seeing his side cut the gap to 17th-placed Clermont to two points following their win over Lorient earlier on Sunday.
"The players started the match with the right mindset. We managed to win a difficult match. It was important to give everything and have no regrets.
"It was a good win but the journey is still long and there will still be difficulties. It was not easy, we had the advantage of numerical superiority but it feels good to win. We must focus on the positive things we did but also know that we still have a lot to improve. We must continue to work and have the right mindset."
Lyon remain bottom despite the victory at Roazhon Park but stand-in captain Corentin Tolisso is hoping an upturn in morale will enable his side to play with more freedom, particularly at the Groupama Stadium where Lyon have come unstuck on multiple occasions this term.
"We've been waiting for this victory for a long time," Tolisso added. "There was a red card at the beginning of the game, after which they defended a lot. I hope that this victory will free us.
"We have two weeks to work well. We've managed to win away from home but we also want to win in front of our fans. I hope that this victory will bring only positive things. We no longer have this pressure to win our first game."
Lyon will be hoping the upcoming international break does not halt any momentum gained by Sunday's victory.
Grosso and Lyon face a tough run of games after the break with the visit of Lille to the Groupama Stadium before tricky trips to Lens and Marseille.
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