France round-up: Lyon gain ground
Saturday, January 5, 2002
Article summary
Olympique Lyonnais edged closer to Le Championnat leaders RC Lens with a win at En Avant Guingamp.
Article body
Olympique Lyonnais edged closer to Le Championnat leaders RC Lens with a 4-2 win away at En Avant Guingamp on Saturday.
Delmotte hat-trick
A Christophe Delmotte hat-trick crowned Lyon’s performance as they moved to within five points of Lens, but there were more than a few nervous moments on the way to victory. Cédric Bardon gave the home side a fifth-minute lead and Guingamp looked comfortable until Blaise Kouassi was dismissed after 43 minutes.
Nervous moments
Two goals from Delmotte and one from Sonny Andersson in the first ten minutes of the second half saw Lyon take control, but Fabrice Fiorese netted for Guingamp to provide a nervous second half. It took a Delmotte goal from a corner to ease the visitors nerves.
Stricken coach misses defeat
Lille OSC coach Vahid Halilhodzic was forced to watch his side's 2-0 defeat by Montpellier Hérault SC from his hospital bed as he recovers from injuries sustained in a skiing accident. Despite constant contact buy telephone, Halilhodzic could not prevent a rasping first-half effort from Bruno Carroti and an unfortunate Jonny Ecker own goal in the 64th minute giving Montpellier the points.
Debut success for Marcos
An injury-time goal from Marcelo Gallardo earned AS Monaco FC a 2-1 win away at Paris Saint-Germain FC, and new FC Nantes Atlantique coach Angel Marcos earned a debut 2-0 win away at SC Bastia with goals from Charles Devineau and Hasan Ahamada. FC Lorient, Marcos's former club, had a slightly less auspicious start after Mickael Isabey’s goal for FC Sochaux-Montbélliard cancelled out David Bouard’s opener to earn a 1-1 draw.
Pauleta flattens Rennes
FC Girondins de Bordeaux won 2-1 at home to Stade Rennais FC thanks to Portuguese striker Pauleta's 12th league goal of the season. Olivier Sorlin had given the visitors the lead but Christophe Sanchez equalised for Bordeaux before Pauleta finished from a Vikash Dhorasoo cross to secure the points. Lens's home clash with FC Metz and AJ Auxerre's trip to CS Sedan-Ardennes were postponed due to frozen pitches.
