Lacazette Helps Lyon Beat Marseille In Ligue 1 Clash

Lyon secured a valuable 1-0 victory against Marseille in Ligue 1 on Sunday, thanks to Alexandre Lacazette’s quick reflexes.

This win not only brought Lyon three points but also created a gap between Lyon and the relegation zone.

Previously positioned in the bottom three, Lyon managed to climb out of danger due to their superior goal difference, as Metz suffered a 2-1 defeat against Lorient earlier in the day.

The decisive goal was scored by Lyon in the 37th minute. During a tussle between Lacazette and Marseille defender Bamo Meite, both players fell to the ground as they attempted to intercept Ernest Nuamah’s low cross.

In an impressive display of skill, Lacazette, lying on his back, struck the ball with his leg, propelling it into the net. This remarkable goal marked Lacazette’s 10th Ligue 1 goal of the season, showcasing his importance as Lyon’s captain.

Lacazette had another opportunity to extend Lyon’s lead in the 43rd minute, but unfortunately, his shot hit the post. Despite this, Pau Lopez, Marseille’s goalkeeper, was unable to prevent the rebound, as he made a crucial save to deny Lacazette a second goal.

“The first half was good. Then we got a bit tired and didn’t press as well. We dropped back and conceded quite a bit in the second half, but we held on,” said Lyon coach Pierre Sage.

In the latter part, Marseille exerted control over the ball but encountered difficulties in generating evident opportunities against Lyon’s well-organized defence.

The visitors’ closest moment arrived when Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang skillfully redirected the ball past goalkeeper Anthony Lopes from an angled position.

However, Ainsley Maitland-Niles swiftly intervened, clearing the spinning ball onto the crossbar and ensuring the safety of Lyon’s goal.

“We’re not going to get carried away,” said Sage, saying the victory “is only good if it’s the first in a series and if it’s the start of something. We hope so”.

Marseille are losing touch with the European places after a fourth league game without a victory.

“In the first half, the difference was physical,” said Marseille coach Gennaro Gattuso. “They were stronger and more committed than us.”

“If we had gained a draw, no one could have complained. There’s always something missing.”

In the recent match, the clash between the two closest clubs to the leading Paris Saint-Germain resulted in a lacklustre draw, with Nice and Brest settling for a 0-0 scoreline.

Meanwhile, Lille secured the fourth position by triumphing over Clermont with a convincing 4-0 victory. Jonathan David netted two goals, Benjamin Andre contributed with one, and Edon Zhegrova sealed the deal with a remarkable left-footed shot from 25 meters just before halftime.

As a result, Lille surpassed Monaco, who could only manage a 1-1 draw against Le Havre at home. Despite Wissam Ben Yedder giving Monaco the lead in the 63rd minute, his teammate Youssouf Fofana unintentionally deflected a free-kick into their own net just two minutes later.

It is worth noting that Monaco has yet to secure a victory in Ligue 1 this year.

On the other hand, PSG began the weekend with a hard-fought 2-1 win against Strasbourg on Friday night and concluded it with a comfortable eight-point lead.