OGC Nice beat second-placed Olympique Lyonnais 3-0 as Ligue 1 resumed on Friday as scheduled, a week on from the Paris terror attacks.
Valere Germain and Vincent Koziello struck either side of a Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa own-goal on an emotional evening at the Allianz Riviera as tributes were paid to the victims of last week’s attacks in Paris.
“I told my players they had the chance to give happiness to those who were watching us. Everyone was up to the mark tonight, the Nice fans and the two teams,” Nice coach Claude Puel said.
Photo: AFP
Lyon coach Hubert Fournier had no qualms about the defeat, adding it was “deserved,” while also praising the “dignified and respectful” behavior of the Nice supporters.
A moving rendition of the French national anthem, La Marseillaise, was played before kick-off and was followed by a minute’s silence, during which fans held aloft candles.
Lyon should have taken an early lead when Claudio Beauvue was left unmarked inside the area, only for the striker to blaze over the crossbar.
The visitors, unbeaten on their last five trips to Nice, then went even closer, with Alexandre Lacazette firing against the base of the post.
Having initially rode their luck early on, Nice made the breakthrough 20 minutes in as Germain gathered Jean-Michael Seri’s pass and glided into the box before lifting his chipped finish over Lyon goalkeeper Anthony Lopes for his sixth goal of the season.
The hosts stretched their lead three minutes after half-time when Lyon defender Yanga-Mbiwa inexplicably diverted Jeremy Pied’s low cross into his own net.
Twenty-year-old Koziello rounded off the victory on 71 minutes with a thumping finish into the roof of the net as Nice climbed to third in the table, just a point behind Lyon.
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