Seven-time reigning French league champions Lyon were thrashed 3-0 by Rennes on Sunday for their first defeat of the season following a Mickael Pagis hat-trick. Lyon’s Brazilian center-back Cris looked in difficulty, left back Kim Kallstrom was out of sorts and the absence of key player Sidney Govou through injury contributed to the demise of Claude Puel’s men. Lyon had won six of their seven matches until this defeat, with their only dropped points coming in a 0-0 draw against Lorient.
Puel’s men were in a 4-4-2 formation, as a result of playmaker Juninho being left out of the starting 11 for the first time in a year and this tactical change could have contributed to their poor performance.
Rennes had the upper hand in midfield against their opponents, who earned a creditable 1-1 Champions League draw at Bayern Munich in midweek, though it was the performance of 35-year-old striker Pagis that stood out as he earned his first goals of the season.
PHOTO: AFP
The fixture for Pagis to finally get off the score sheet could not have fallen better for Rennes. His 17th minute goal was a simple affair, his second in the 56th minute was a superb team effort and his 67th-minute third was a sublime individual goal as he found the net with a powerful shot from long range.
Also on Sunday, St Etienne had a 2-0 victory over Monaco, while Nancy drew 1-1 against Paris Saint Germain in the late match.
Paul Le Guen’s PSG were consoled by getting a point, though they looked ineffective in front of goal.
French Ligue 1
Team P GD PTS
1 Lyon 8 6 19
2 Toulouse 8 2 17
3 Marseille 8 7 16
4 Le Mans 8 5 14
5 Bordeaux 8 3 14
6 Lille 8 2 14
7 Rennes 8 4 13
8 Grenoble 8 0 13
9 Caen 8 4 11
10 Nice 8 1 11
11 Paris St Germain8 0 11
12 Auxerre 8 -1 10
13 St Etienne 8 -1 10
14 Monaco 8 -2 9
15 AS Nancy 8 -1 8
16 Valenciennes8 -5 7
17 Nantes 8 -7 7
18 Lorient 8 -6 6
19 Sochaux 8 -4 4
20 Le Havre 8 -7 4
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