Fútbol Americano
2016-17 Ligue 1 de Francia, Temporada regular
NICE 
2
Finalizado
 LYON
0
PA Sport 7y

Nice see off Lyon to go four points clear atop Ligue 1

Nice extended their lead at the top of Ligue 1 to four points after securing a 2-0 win over 10-man Lyon.

The home side, unbeaten in the league this season, took an early lead through captain Paul Baysse's sharp volley before Lyon's Nabil Fekir was shown a straight red card on 29 minutes.

Jean Michael Seri made sure of victory 13 minutes from time as Nice, who could even afford a late Mario Balotelli penalty miss, fully capitalised on second-placed Monaco's 3-1 defeat at Toulouse.

Nice, who came into the game on the back of three straight league wins, started like a side full of confidence, opening the scoring in fine fashion after just five minutes.

A Seri free kick from the right was nodded back at the far post to Baysse, who did well to control his left-foot volley and find the corner of the net from 10 yards.

It was almost 2-0 seven minutes later, with Seri creating space for himself inside the area before turning and firing a left-footed shot just past a post.

Lyon began to gain a foothold after the early setback, but suffered another blow just before the half-hour mark as they were reduced to 10 men.

Baysse was in the thick of the action again as a challenge on him by Fekir was deemed too strong by referee Ruddy Buquet and Fekir was given his marching orders.

Despite being a man down, Lyon still posed a threat and went close to an equaliser eight minutes before half-time. A Maciej Rybus corner was met at the near post by Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa, but his header flew just wide.

The away side continued to threaten after the break, with Nice goalkeeper Yoan Cardinale twice called into action.

He smothered a Corentin Tolisso cross-shot and then had to be at his best to turn a low Rachid Ghezzal effort round a post.

Up until this point Nice's leading scorer Balotelli had been fairly quiet, but he went close on 71 minutes with a right-foot shot which Lyon goalkeeper Anthony Lopes did well to parry.

Younes Belhanda had been Nice's main source of creativity throughout the match and he was influential again as Nice scored their second.

Finding space on the left side of the area he struck a post with a right-foot shot, but the rebound fell to Seri, who calmly slotted home with his right foot.

Balotelli, who had scored five goals in three league appearances prior to this match, could have continued his scoring run from the spot in the 80th minute after he was fouled by Jordy Gaspar.

But the Italian was foiled by Lopes, who got down to his right to push the ball away.

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