Lyon moved provisionally into fifth spot in the Ligue 1 table on Sunday with a 3-1 win at home against bottom side Ajaccio at the Stade de Gerland.
Remi Garde's side were looking to bounce back from their shock French Cup exit at the hands of second-tier Lens on Thursday, and goals from Gueida Fofana, Jimmy Briand and Bafetimbi Gomis saw them move to within four points of third-placed Lille, who play Evian later.
After Gomis had seen an early effort disallowed for offside and Ajaccio's Mexican goalkeeper Memo Ochoa turned a deflected Miguel Lopes effort over the bar, Lyon took the lead two minutes before the interval.
Alexandre Lacazette found Fofana, who took a couple of touches to set himself up before curling a shot over Ochoa - who was off his line - from 25 yards.
OL might have doubled their lead early in the second half when Henri Bedimo did superbly well down the left flank before crossing low for the unmarked Briand, but he was denied by Ochoa from point-blank range.
However, the same duo combined to make it 2-0 midway through the second period, Bedimo breaking into the box and cutting the ball back for Briand to head home.
Kenyan international Dennis Oliech got a goal back for Ajaccio, turning and firing home after latching onto a Johan Cavalli pass inside the area.
But Lyon wrapped up the points towards the end when Briand set up Gomis, who curled a delightful finish past Ochoa into the far corner of the net for his 10th goal of the campaign.
OL have won five of their six Ligue 1 games in 2014 and now look like genuine contenders for a top-three finish, while Ajaccio remain rooted to the foot of the table, nine points from safety.
Sunday's other game sees Saint-Etienne and Marseille meet each other at the Stade Geoffroy-Guichard.
Elsewhere, Paris Saint-Germain remain five points clear of Monaco at the top of the table after both clubs won this weekend.
Ezequiel Lavezzi and Zlatan Ibrahimovic were among the goals as PSG eased to a 3-0 win against Valenciennes on Friday to warm up for their Champions League last 16, first leg tie away to Bayer Leverkusen in Germany on Tuesday.
Monaco, meanwhile, had a brace from James Rodriguez to thank for a 2-0 victory away to Bastia in Corsica on Saturday.
Source: AFP
