Olympique Lyonnais missed the chance to move two points clear of Paris Saint-Germain at the top spot of the Ligue 1 standings after an early sending off undermined the hosts in a 2-2 draw with AS Saint-Etienne on Sunday.
After a fast start to the game against their local and historic rivals, Lyon failed to hold on to an early lead after defender Lindsay Rose received a straight red card in the 28th minute.
Lyon reclaimed top spot on goal-difference, but have played one game more than PSG.
Photo: AFP
“There was a sense of injustice at halftime and we refused to give up,” Lyon coach Hubert Fournier said. “We could have won this game, it was very close, we can be proud.”
Facing their bitter rivals at their historic Stade de Gerland probably for the last time — Lyon move to a new stadium next year — the seven-time champions got off to tremendous start and overran Saint-Etienne’s three-man central defense.
They created their first chance after just a few seconds when Clinton Njie stormed through the defense to force goalkeeper Stephane Ruffier into an excellent save.
After Nabil Fekir tested Ruffier with a long-range shot, Njie found some space in the area and dribbled past Ruffier to shoot toward an open net, but a last-minute interception by Loic Perrin denied his effort in the 12th minute.
Lyon continued to push and another powerful shot from Fekir hit the crossbar, before Njie managed to give the hosts the lead from Fekir’s assist with a low shot from close range.
The celebrations did not last as referee Said Enjimmi awarded Saint-Etienne a penalty after Rose handled a shot from Landry Nguemo in the area, with the defender getting sent off.
Max Gradel converted from the spot to level in the 31st minute and Saint-Etienne built on the momentum as substitute Romain Hamouma made the most of Benjamin Corgnet’s through-ball to give the visitors the lead just before the interval.
Spurred on by their buoyant fans, Lyon did not give up and Christophe Jallet jumped higher than anyone else to level with a precise and powerful header at the near post from Fekir’s free-kick.
Lyon had two more chances to snatch the win, but Njie fired just over and Perrin headed the ball against his own bar from a corner in the 71st minute.
Earlier, forward Nolan Roux and midfielder Adama Traore each scored as LOSC Lille Metropole beat Girondins de Bordeaux 2-0 to close the gap on their rivals.
Roux put coach Rene Girard’s side ahead in the 14th minute with his second goal in three games, before 19-year-old Traore sealed the win in the last minute.
In a closely-fought battle for the European places, Montpellier Herault reclaimed seventh spot with a 1-0 win against Stade Malherbe Caen Calvados courtesy of captain Vitorino Hilton’s early goal at the Stade de la Mosson.
If PSG beat AJ Auxerre in the Coupe de France final, all the teams ranked fourth to sixth would qualify for next season’s UEFA Europa League.
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