Lyon end freefall with Toulouse victory

14 April 2013 17:46

Lyon hauled themselves back into contention for a place in next season's Champions with a long overdue 3-1 victory at home to Toulouse on Sunday to halt a sequence of five matches without a win.

Clement Grenier netted an eighth-minute opener for Lyon before Wissam Ben Yedder levelled for Toulouse but second-half strikes from Bakary Kone and Bafetimbi Gomis secured the three points for Remi Garde's side at Stade Gerland.

Lyon subsequently climbed to third, a point shy of second-placed Marseille, who travel to in-form Lille later on Sunday, after arresting an alarming loss of form that extinguished their title hopes and had seen them slide to fifth.

OL remain a distant 11 points adrift of leaders Paris Saint-Germain but more importantly moved two points clear of Nice and Rhone rivals Saint-Etienne for the third and final spot in next season's Champions League, while Toulouse, who have yet to win in 19 trips to the Gerland in the top-flight stayed 11th.

The game was only eight minutes old when Grenier handed Lyon an early lead as he slid in at the far post to convert Alexandre Lacazette's low cross.

Ben Yedder, who endured a four-month goal drought prior to a brace against Nice last weekend, replied for Toulouse just before the half hour with his 12th goal of the season after Daniel Braaten's ball across the face of goal took a touch off Maxime Gonalons before bouncing fortuitiously in off the France under-21 striker.

Lyon restored their advantage four minutes after the break though as Grenier turned provider, expertly volleying a cross towards the far post for an unmarked Bakary Kone to nod beyond a helpless Olivier Blondel.

Franck Tabanou went close to equalising for Toulouse as his sweetly-struck volley flashed inches wide of Remy Vercoutre's right-hand post before half-time substitute Gomis gave the home side a two-goal cushion on 63 minutes.

Gueida Fofana, who replaced Anthony Reveillere at the interval, exchanged passes with Lisandro Lopez before squaring across the area for Gomis to steer home his 14th goal of the campaign.

Earlier Nice staked their claim for a berth in next season's Champions League with a commanding 3-0 victory over relegation-threatened Sochaux.

Mahamane Traore broke the deadlock for Claude Puel's side six minutes after half-time.

Didier Digard then struck a rare goal on 59 minutes to double the lead for the Cote d'Azur club before a late third from Argentine striker Dario Cvitanich - his 14th of the campaign - gave the scoreline a more emphatic look.

Source: AFP