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LFP: Fred’s goal preserves Lyon’s four-point advantage in Ligue 1

Monaco’s Leandro Cufre, right, battles for the ball with Lyon’s Jean II Makoun during their French Ligue 1 match at the Louis II Stadium in Monaco on Saturday. PHOTO: AFP

A goal from Brazilian Fred preserved Lyon’s four-point lead at the top of the French league table on Saturday with a 1-0 win at struggling Monaco.

With second-placed Marseille flattening Grenoble 3-0 away, Lyon could not afford to let points slip away at the Stade Louis II Stadium and Fred’s neat poacher’s finish from a Kim Kallstrom, near-post cross 10 minutes after the break sufficed for the win.

Lyon’s Fred saluted the collective spirit of the side against Monaco.

“In November we’re playing every three days, but we’re all up for it. It doesn’t matter if you start or come off the bench,” said the forward, who hopes his contract will be renewed in June. “I hope so — my priority is to stay at Lyon.”

Claude Puel’s side, chasing an eighth straight league title, have on occasion looked less assured than in previous seasons, but were bolstered by the returns from injury of experienced France striker Sidney Govou and Fabio Santos. Kallstrom twice went close in the opening half-hour and Jeremy Toulalan then squandered an opportunity against a Monaco side whose defense was generally well-marshaled by Cameroon youngster Nicolas Nkoulou.

Lyon’s Karim Benzema controls the ball against Monaco during their French Ligue 1 match at the Louis II Stadium in Monaco on Saturday. PHOTO: AFP WARNING: EXCESSIVE CONSUMPTION OF ALCOHOL CAN DAMAGE

Monaco were unlucky when Lyon defender Anthony Reveillere appeared to handle in the area two minutes before the interval, but the visitors got away with it and Fred then seized his chance for only his second goal of the campaign.

Lyon now have 30 points from 13 games, while Marseille stayed in the hunt after swatting promoted Grenoble with goals from Hatem Ben Arfa — his sixth of the season — and Baky Kone before the break and then a clincher from Benoit Cheyrou eight minutes from time.

Marseille supporters light flares and wave their flags during the French Ligue 1 match between Marseille and Grenoble in Grenoble, France, on Saturday. PHOTO: AP

Ben Arfa, who joined Marseille from Lyon in the summer, insisted his new side were fully capable of overhauling his old one.

“We are right in the title fight. We’ve won 3-0 away and that’s never easy,” Ben Arfa said. “We have a great team, which has a huge amount of unrealized potential. When we get there, we’ll be really tough to halt.”

Coach Eric Gerets was likewise happy to get the points.

“I felt sure that Lyon and Bordeaux would beat Monaco and Auxerre. It’s a job well done,” Gerets said.

Bordeaux stay third, two points behind Marseille, after Fernando Cavenaghi hit his seventh goal of the season and Marouane Chamakh added a second to see off Auxerre 2-0 in the southwest.

The win was marred, however, when Bordeaux keeper Mathieu Valverde had to be taken to hospital with concussion after a clash of heads with Auxerre striker Dennis Oliech two minutes before halftime. Third-choice keeper Kevin Olimpa came on, with Ulrich Rame already sidelined with a groin strain.

“The least we could do was ensure we got the win, which I have dedicated to him [Valverde],” Bordeaux coach Laurent Blanc said.

“That’s two keepers injured. I’ll have to see if [goalkeeping coach] Dominique Dropsy is still licensed to play,” Blanc said wryly, with Olimpa, just 20, set to go between the sticks for the Nov. 16 meeting with Lyon.

Nice thanked an Olivier Echouafni first-half goal for a 1-0 success at Lorient, which keeps the Mediterranean outfit fourth, two points behind Bordeaux.

Toulouse were unable to leapfrog Nice or draw level with Bordeaux after they could only manage a 1-1 draw at relegation-threatened Nantes in the late game. Nantes stay in the bottom five.
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