PARIS — Lyon emerged victorious with a 2-0 win over Nice on Sunday, enhancing their quest for a coveted Champions League position. Observing from the stands, Coach Paulo Fonseca, who is currently serving a nine-month touchline ban after a confrontation with referee Benoît Millot the previous weekend, watched as his strategic substitutions provided the breakthrough needed.
The first half saw Lyon struggling under the weather’s gloom, with Nice’s striker Gaëtan Laborde narrowly missing a goal as his attempt struck the post amidst heavy rain. However, Lyon’s fortunes changed in the 78th minute when substitute Rayan Cherki, who made an immediate impact, scored shortly after replacing a teammate. Receiving a deft pass from Brazilian midfielder Thiago Almada, Cherki found the net with precision, marking his sixth league goal and reinforcing his status as a sought-after young talent.
Shortly after Cherki’s goal, Almada’s flair shone through again as he set up Ghanaian forward Ernest Nuamah. Only a few minutes after entering the fray in the second half, Nuamah expertly curled a shot into the top left corner, sealing Lyon’s victory in the 83rd minute. This win positions Lyon just two points behind fifth-placed Lille and fourth-placed Monaco, while third-placed Nice remains only four points ahead, with the top four teams in Ligue 1 securing Champions League berths.
In another Ligue 1 encounter, Liam Rosenior’s Strasbourg side claimed a solid 1-0 victory against Nantes, further consolidating their position in seventh. Rosenior, embarking on his first season with the Alsace-based club, has quickly established a reputation for organization and effectiveness, transforming Strasbourg into a formidable team with robust defense and sharp counterattacks. Their decisive goal arrived in the 79th minute, courtesy of Félix Lemaréchal who turned in a cross from the dynamic right winger Dilane Bakwa.
Elsewhere in the league, Le Havre and Saint-Etienne shared the spoils in a 1-1 draw, leaving both teams languishing in relegation struggles. Lucas Stassin put Saint-Etienne ahead early on, but Abdoulaye Touré equalized for Le Havre during first-half stoppage time. Additionally, Brest achieved a 2-0 home win over Angers, with Abdallah Sima scoring against his former club before succumbing to an injury and being replaced by Romain Faivre, who secured the game with a second goal.
Meanwhile, Reims suffered a 2-0 defeat at home to Auxerre, which sees them precariously positioned at 15th, just above Le Havre who occupies the relegation playoff spot. Saint-Etienne stands at 17th, and Montpellier sits at the bottom of the 18-team league. Auxerre’s victory was secured with goals in the first half by Canadian forward Theo Bair and Hamed Traoré, the latter marking his tenth goal of the season.
In observance of International Women’s Day, all players this weekend sported jerseys displaying “WO=MAN” instead of their names, spotlighting the French league’s initiative aimed at promoting gender equality in soccer.
On Saturday, league leaders PSG further solidified their dominant position with a commanding 4-1 win over Rennes, extending their lead to 16 points clear of Marseille, who faced a surprise home defeat by Lens. Marseille will meet PSG next Sunday at the Parc des Princes, setting the stage for an exciting clash.
