Lacazette hat-trick lifts lowly Lyon as Nice retake second

PARIS: A quickfire first-half brace and late sealer from Alexandre Lacazette earned Lyon their second win of the season at home to Toulouse on Sunday, as Nice benefitted from a late goalkeeping error to beat Reims 2-1. Lyon captain Lacazette fired his side to a 3-0 victory against 15th-placed Toulouse, allowing them to reduce the gap from safety to three points.

The hat-trick from the former Arsenal man earned Ligue 1´s bottom club an invaluable win in the race for survival against the side just above the relegation zone. “It´s a relief to be able to score, to be useful to the team in the way that´s expected of me. It makes you feel a bit lighter,” said Lacazette.

“We´re still in the same position (last), but we´re going to take it one step at a time, stay humble and keep working.” A saved penalty at the end of the first period had offered Toulouse a lifeline, but they did not seize it on a day that Lyon stalwarts Anthony Lopes and Lacazette showed their quality.

Lyon´s first win since the sacking of coach Fabio Grosso moved the seven-times French champions up to 10 points, just three behind their opponents. Two goals in four minutes just before the half-hour mark sent Lyon on their way to an impressive win at the Groupama Stadium.

In the 25th minute, Lacazette opened the scoring following a Jake O´Brien header from a corner. He then doubled the lead minutes later when Corentin Tolisso´s volley came back off the post, allowing him to a nab a poacher´s second.

The home team looked to be heading into the break comfortably ahead, until Lopes took out Gabriel Suazo in the box on the stroke of half-time. The shotstopper immediately redeemed himself when he guessed rightly at the resulting spot-kick and plunged down low to stop Thijs Dallinga from halving the deficit.

Lyon defended stoutly in the second period and looked to have ensured a very important three points at a crucial moment in the season. Their captain then put the icing on the cake 10 minutes from time, when he was once again perfectly positioned to pounce on a blocked shot.