Gourcuff breathes easy as Lyon end OM run

Olympique Lyonnais ended Olympique de Marseille's record-equalling eight-game winning streak on Sunday night with a 1-0 victory at the Stade de Gerland. Former Ligue 1 player of the year Yoann Gourcuff made the difference, dispatching a left-footed effort after jinking past Giannelli Imbula in the area in the second half as OM missed the chance to set a new club record.

"It was a relief to score," said Gourcuff, whose signing from FC Girondins de Bordeaux in 2010 for a reported €22m has not always been regarded as a success, partly due to injury problems. "Marseille put us under pressure and I'm happy to have been on target with that one."

"We were under heavy pressure," said Lyon coach Hubert Fournier. "We owe this win to the quality of our goalkeeper [Anthony Lopes, who made a string of saves] and also to Yo [Gourcuff]. He was up for the occasion. He finished off a classy team move."

Unbeaten in seven league games, Lyon climb up to third, five points off the summit where leaders Marseille lie four points clear of second-placed champions Paris Saint-Germain.

OM coach Marcelo Bielsa reflected the mood of the whole squad: "We are disappointed because I think we had enough chances to merit another outcome," he said. Asked whether he was frustrated not to set a new domestic record with the former UEFA Champions League winners, he said: "We aim to win every game. Of course, losing this one is a disappointment."

Ligue 1 top scorer André-Pierre Gignac, who was unable to register his 11th goal in 11 outings, was in philosophical mood. "It's not the end for us," he said. "I think we played well, created chances, but Lyon had the luck. Now let's see what comes next." Marseille travel to face Paris in Le Classique on 9 November.