Sergi Darder scored his first goal in Ligue 1 as Olympique Lyonnais beat Toulouse 3-0 on Friday to revive their stuttering campaign.
Three days after a 3-1 defeat at Zenit Saint-Petersburg that all but ended Lyon’s hopes of reaching the knockout stage of the UEFA Champions League, Hubert Fournier’s side bounced back with only their fifth win in all competitions this season.
Spanish midfielder Darder, who joined during the off-season from Malaga for a reported fee of 12 million euros, put the hosts ahead in the 18th minute from Mathieu Valbuena’s assist. Darder connected with Valbuena’s cross in the box, controlled the ball with his chest and slotted home with a simple finish.
Photo: Reuters
Toulouse, who have failed to win their past 10 league matches and sit just three points above the relegation zone, had a goal disallowed in the 55th minute after Martin Braithwaite scored from an offside position. The Denmark international had another good chance in the 67th minute, but saw his effort saved on the line by defender Samuel Umtiti.
Valbuena also scored his first goal for Lyon to make it 2-0 two minutes later with a powerful strike from the edge of the box that left goalkeeper Ali Ahamada stranded, while substitute Maxwell Cornet, also bagging his maiden goal for Lyon, added more luster to the win in stoppage-time.
Lyon, who have been hampered by injuries since the start of the season, cut Paris Saint-Germain’s lead to seven points and climbed to fourth place in the standings.
“We went through difficult days, because Lyon need to deliver good results,” Lyon captain Maxime Gonalons said. “When things do not go well, we have to question ourselves. That is what we did tonight, we deserve our win.”
Earlier, goals from Yacine Bammou and Adrien Thomasson helped Nantes to a 2-0 win at Stade Malherbe Caen for their third straight victory.
The win ended Caen’s run of three consecutive wins and lifted Nantes to eighth place, 10 points behind PSG.
Third-placed Caen missed the chance to move within two points of PSG.
Bammou opened the scoring in the 23rd minute with a shot from the edge of the box.
Caen had several chances after the interval, but conceded against the run of the play when Thomasson connected with a cross from Wilried Moimbe on the hour mark.
LA LIGA
Rayo Vallecano de Madrid ended a run of three consecutive league defeats following a 3-0 home win against RCD Espanyol on Friday.
Roberto Trashorras’ first-half penalty and two goals in two minutes from Javier Guerra moved Rayo four points clear of the relegation zone.
The opening 20 minutes saw chances for each team, with the woodwork being struck by both sides.
The hosts then got the breakthrough after Espanyol defender Enzo Roco felled Guerra in the area. Trashorras converted the penalty in the 36th minute for a half-time lead.
Espanyol were reduced to 10 after midfielder Victor Sanchez was sent off for a second yellow in the 66th minute.
“We are not playing well, and we have conceded many goals,” Espanyol defender Anaitz Arbilla said. “We come away from this match very hurt because the image we have given is very poor and we are going to have to do some deep analysis of our game.”
Espanyol have conceded 12 goals this season, the most in La Liga.
Guerra scored in the 76th minute and soon after unleashed a powerful effort from distance for his sixth goal in seven league matches, equaling Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema’s tally this season.
Burgui failed to take advantage of a stoppage-time penalty for Espanyol when goalkeeper Antonio Rodriguez parried his effort.
BUNDESLIGA
Pierre-Michel Lasogga scored two minutes from time on Friday as Hamburg SV beat TSG 1899 Hoffenheim 1-0 in the Bundesliga.
That defeat increased the pressure on Hoffenheim coach Markus Gisdol following his side’s dismal start to the season after one win from their opening 10 matches.
A second consecutive league loss left Hoffenheim second from bottom, one point ahead of Augsburg.
“Anyone who has played football knows how hard it is to get out of this,” Hoffenheim forward Kevin Volland said.
Hoffenheim defender Ermin Bicakcic was sent off against his former side after his second yellow card in the 68th minute.
Both sides had penalty appeals turned down as the game entered a frenetic finale before Lasogga ended Hamburg’s three-game run without a win.
Sven Schipplock crossed for the unmarked Lasogga’s simple finish after some good work from Michael Gregoritsch.
“Schipplock did brilliantly to see me in the middle. It was a super change from the coach,” Lasogga said in reference to Bruno Labbadia’s decision to bring on the former Hoffenheim forward in the second half.
Hamburg climbed to ninth before the rest of the 10th round was played.
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