Lyon lost 1-0 at Lorient, while Nice fell to a seventh straight defeat against Angers, deepening the crisis at the Allianz Riviera
LORIENT: Lyon slumped to a 1-0 defeat away to struggling Lorient in Ligue 1 on Sunday.
Pablo Pagis scored the only goal in the 39th minute to lift the Brittany side out of the relegation zone.
Lyon’s task was made harder when Ainsley Maitland-Niles was sent off for a second yellow card just three minutes after the opener.
The result leaves Paulo Fonseca’s side fifth, now 10 points behind surprise leaders Lens.
The match marked Fonseca’s return to the touchline after completing a nine-month ban for an altercation with a referee.
“It was an important moment. I wanted a different result today,” said the Portuguese coach.
Nice’s crisis deepened earlier with a 1-0 home loss to Angers, their seventh consecutive defeat in all competitions.
Players took to the Allianz Riviera pitch with the names of absent teammates Terem Moffi and Jeremie Boga on their backs.
The pair are on sick leave after being targeted by supporters in a confrontation last week.
Yassin Belkhdim’s first-half goal secured the win for 11th-placed Angers.
Nice played in front of a sparse but hostile crowd after a boycott call by the club’s ultras.
Tom Louchet was sent off for the hosts early in the second half as they dropped to 12th in the table.
“This is obviously a very difficult period,” said Nice coach Franck Haise.
Visibly affected, Haise said playing in such a hostile atmosphere was “very particular”.
“It’s the first time I’ve experienced this,” he added.
Auxerre moved off the bottom of the table with a 3-1 home win against new basement side Metz.
Le Havre and Paris FC played out a goalless draw in Sunday’s other fixture. – AFP
