Lyon defeated by Utaka treble
Saturday, February 25, 2006
Article summary
John Utaka's hat-trick sent French leaders Olympique Lyonnais crashing to a 4-1 home defeat by Stade Rennais FC as FC Metz held FC Girondins de Bordeaux.
Article body
Utaka treble
Four days after winning at PSV Eindhoven in the UEFA Champions League, Lyon suffered only their second Ligue 1 loss of the season, as Nigeria striker Utaka scored on 19, 53 and 73 minutes to add to the treble he registered against RC Lens last week.
Juninho consolation
Yoann Gourcuff was also on target for mid-table Rennes, while Juninho Pernambucano's 37th-minute penalty briefly reduced the arrears to 2-1. It was the title-holders' heaviest home reverse since they conceded four against EA Guingamp at the end of the 2002/03 campaign.
Points shared
Bordeaux fared little better than the team six points above them, as the division's best defence yielded three times to its worst attack. Lowly Metz led 3-2 at half-time, with goals from Souleymane Youla, a Souleymane Youla own goal and Roy Contout outweighing a Marouane Chamakh double for the home side. In the end, Bordeaux were grateful for Alejandro Alonso's equaliser 20 minutes from time.
Home subsidence
AJ Auxerre are up to third place, seven points adrift of Bordeaux, as a goal in each half from Kanga Akalé and Thomas Kahlenberg secured victory at home to Toulouse FC. Paris Saint-Germain FC stayed sixth after drawing 0-0 at FC Nantes Atlantique, but Le Mans UC 72 lost to a solitary Hélder Postiga strike at home against AS Saint-Etienne. AS Nancy-Lorraine also suffered home subsidence, going down 3-0 to FC Sochaux-Montbéliard. France's five UEFA Cup representatives are all in action on Sunday.
