Late Cheyrou strike checks 10-man Bordeaux

January 18, 2010

Benoit Cheyrou struck an 81st-minute equaliser to earn Marseille a 1-1 draw at Bordeaux on Sunday that kept his side in the title race, albeit 11 points behind the league leaders with a game in hand.

Defending champions Bordeaux led through a contested Steve Mandanda own goal on the cusp of half-time but lost goalkeeper Cedric Carrasso to injury and then had centre-back Marc Planus sent off.

The numerical advantage allowed Marseille to boss the match for the first time and they snatched a point when Cheyrou chested down a knockdown before volleying past substitute keeper Ulrich Rame, after Bordeaux’s defenders had been sucked towards Brandao at the defence of a free-kick.

The visitors came close to victory in the closing stages, but Rame saved superbly from Lucho Gonzalez’s instinctive toe-poke and Mathieu Valbuena flashed a low, right-footed shot narrowly wide.

Bordeaux now lead the French top flight by seven points from Lille, while Marseille climb above Lyon to fourth.

The opening goal went down as a Mandanda own goal but it owed everything to a superb cross from advancing centre-back Mickael Ciani and the single-mindedness of Marouane Chamakh, whose strong aerial challenge forced the France international goalkeeper to divert the ball into his own net.

The away side protested fiercely about the legitimacy of Chamakh’s leap but referee Laurent Duhamel turned a deaf ear.

It was shortly before the hour-mark that Bordeaux lost Carrasso to an injury apparently sustained taking a free-kick deep inside his own half.

Rame took over between the sticks and quickly found himself exposed when Mamadou Niang earned a free-kick right on the edge of the Bordeaux area, having been felled by Planus, who was promptly dismissed.

Planus’s expulsion was harsh given the presence of a covering defender in the form of Ciani, but Cheyrou could not capitalise with the dead ball.

Laurent Blanc had deployed Chamakh as a lone central focal point and Bordeaux’s attacking midfielders pressed high up the pitch, pinning Marseille deep inside their own half and cutting off Marseille’s own forward trident of Niang, Brandao and Fabrice Ariel.

The tactic gave Bordeaux control of proceedings in the first half but clear-cut chances were scarce.

Ciani had a shot deflected over the crossbar following a neat turn in the Marseille penalty box in the fifth minute, while Wendel and Yoann Gourcuff both drew straightforward saves from Mandanda.

In Saturday’s action, in-form Lille stretched their winning run to eight matches in all competitions and galvanised their grasp on second place by beating Paris Saint-Germain 3-1.

On the first weekend programme of fixtures after the winter break, Lyon got their season back on track with a 2-0 win at Nancy while Montpellier beat Nice 1-0 to hold onto third place in the table, a point shy of Lille.

PARIS (AFP)

Tags: benoit cheyrou, Bordeaux, bordeaux area, brandao, Cedric Carrasso, central focal point, ciani, deaf ear, equaliser, Fabrice Ariel, France, france international, free kick, Germain, Gonzalez, knockdown, laurent blanc, Laurent Duhamel, lucho gonzalez, Lyon, marc planus, marouane chamakh, Marseille, Mathieu Valbuena, Montpellier, Nancy, niang, Nice, PARIS, rame, Steve Mandanda

Stalemate gives Milan slight advantage

November 26, 2009

AC Milan and Marseille drew 1-1 in the Champions League on Wednesday to give the Italians a slight edge in the race for the knock-out stages.

With Real Madrid winning 1-0 at home to FC Zurich, they now lead Milan by two points with the French team a further point behind in Group C.

Marseille must beat the Spaniards in France in two weeks to have any chance of progressing but if they do win, Milan will have to beat Zurich in Switzerland or it will be them who crash out.

Milan were left holding on for the point at the end as the visitors hit the woodwork but coach Leonardo said it was a fair result.

“Maybe Marseille had the clearer chances but we also had chances in the second half, it seems to me that a draw was fair,” he said.

“I’m optimistic (about qualification). Marseille had played on Friday and had five days of rest, we only had three.

“They had more energy and that played a role. We wanted to qualify today but we drew, now we have to go to Zurich and play with a lot of concentration.”

The draw meant Milan failed to win any of their three home matches in this competition.

“It’s strange, in the past San Siro has been a fortress but this year we’re struggling,” admitted striker Marco Borriello.

Marseille coach Didier Deschamps, who was a member of the Marseille side that beat Milan in the 1993 Champions League final, was not happy.

“It is not a very good result, because we needed to win,” said Deschamos, who guided Monaco to the 2004 Champions League final.

“Seeing what my team did here, there was every chance we should have won.

“However, the dream is still possible. We have a small chance.”

Milan went ahead on 10 minutes following dreadful defending from Marseille as Mamadou Niang gave the ball away on the halfway line, allowing Borriello to run at Gabriel Heinze and get past the former Manchester United and Real Madrid man with embarrassing ease before slipping the ball under Mandanda.

The lead lasted only six minutes, though, as more lax defending contributed to the restoration of parity.

Niang beat Massimo Oddo far too easily on the left and Alessandro Nesta came across to cover but seemed to pull out of the challenge, allowing Niang to hit a cross that goalkeeper Dida could only palm out to Lucho Gonzalez, who rifled home.

A couple of minutes later Lucho hit a left footer that had Dida sweating as he watched it fly just past the angle of post and bar.

There was more poor defending on 25 minutes as Thiago Silva’s long ball from his own half sent Borriello clear of the defence but Souleymane Diawara just managed to bend his leg around the striker and clip the ball as the Italian went to pull the trigger.

Niang was troubling Milan’s right and late in the half he got down the line but his cut-back was just behind strike-partner Brandao.

The second half was a calm affair until 65 minutes when Brazilian Brandao somehow contrived to miss an open goal.

Benoit Cheyrou slipped Niang in behind substitute Ignazio Abate and his cross picked out Brandao on the edge of the six yard box but with the goal gaping he somehow managed to direct the ball onto the bar.

Ronaldinho almost caught out Mandanda with a cross-cum-shot before Bakari Kone escaped up the other end on the break, but with Brandao unmarked at the back post, his poor control allowed Abate to clear the danger.

From the corner Diawara’s header agonisingly came back off the foot of the post.

MILAN, Italy (AFP)

Tags: ac milan, Alessandro Nesta, benoit cheyrou, Borriello, C. Marseille, champions league final, crash out, didier deschamps, dreadful, France, french team, gabriel heinze, Ignazio Abate, italians, Italy, knock out, leonardo, MADRID, madrid man, Manchester, manchester united, Marseille, Milan, Monaco, niang, real madrid, San, san siro, six minutes, spaniards, Switzerland, thiago silva, woodwork, ZURICH

Marseille, PSG resume hostilities

November 20, 2009

A huge week in French football continues on Friday when the country’s two biggest clubs, Marseille and Paris Saint-Germain, meet in a re-arranged league fixture at the Stade Velodrome.

With the country still abuzz over France’s controversial World Cup qualification, the two best-supported teams in the top flight renew their heated rivalry in a match renowned for its intensity.

The original match was postponed at short notice on October 25 after an outbreak of swine flu at the Parisian club and Marseille midfielder Benoit Cheyrou says the ensuing wait has served only to motivate his side.

“It was a strange feeling to be told on the day of the game that it had been called off,” he said.

“But that’s just the way it was and we didn’t get to have our say in the matter. It just means we’ll be even more motivated for Friday.”

Marseille’s last league outing saw them snatch an incredible 5-5 draw at Lyon after coming back from 4-2 and then 5-4 down, and victory over PSG would take them to within three points of league leaders Bordeaux.

“It’s always a special game and we’re ready to do everything to take the three points,” said Cheyrou.

“It’s the first game of a big run for us as we’ll be playing every three days until Christmas.”

PSG will be without suspended skipper Claude Makelele for the trip to the south coast, but swine flu victims Mamadou Sakho, Ludovic Giuly, Jeremy Clement and Loris Arnaud have all returned to full fitness.

Antoine Kombouare’s side are currently 13th in the table after a stuttering start to the season but victory on Friday night would move them level on 19 points with eighth-placed Marseille.

“We’re going to go there in the right frame of mind to play well,” said Sakho. “We know there are a lot of things that go on around a match like this, but we just have to concentrate on what happens on the pitch.”

Defending champions Bordeaux signed off before the international break with a 2-0 defeat at improving Lille and on Saturday host a Valenciennes side who are the most prolific team in the division.

Philippe Montanier’s men have not lost since a 3-2 defeat at Nice on October 3 and have scored a league-high 23 goals in their 12 games to date.

“The France team will need a rest,” said a jocular Montanier, in reference to the mid-week exertions of Bordeaux’s French international midfielders Yoann Gourcuff and Alou Diarra.

“It’s understandable: Gourcuff and Diarra will need a rest on Saturday.”

Bordeaux coach Laurent Blanc, whose side travel to Turin to face Juventus in the Champions League on Tuesday, conceded that both players needed rest.

“Yoann Gourcuff came off with an adductor muscle problem,” he said.

“We will see what it is. For Alou, playing 120 minutes in those conditions is psychologically very difficult.”

Lyon, a point behind Bordeaux in second place, travel to Grenoble, who picked up their first point of the season in a 0-0 draw at Monaco last time out but are still 11 points adrift of safety at the foot of the table.

Third-placed Auxerre are the league’s in-form team and will look to extend their winning streak to seven matches when they welcome fourth-placed Monaco to the Stade l’Abbe-Deschamps in Saturday’s evening game.

Montpellier, promoted from Ligue 2 last season and riding high in sixth place, visit Lille on Sunday, while 10-time champions Saint-Etienne will hope to put further daylight between themselves and the relegation zone when they host fifth-placed Lorient.

Fixtures

Friday (2000GMT)

Marseille v Paris Saint-Germain

Saturday (1800GMT unless otherwise stated)

Bordeaux v Valenciennes, Grenoble v Lyon, Lens v Nancy, Rennes v Le Mans, Auxerre v Monaco (2000GMT)

Sunday (1600GMT unless otherwise stated)

Nice v Toulouse, Saint-Etienne v Lorient, Montpellier v Lille (2000GMT)

PARIS (AFP)

Tags: benoit cheyrou, Claude Makelele, days until christmas, first game, flu victims, frame of mind, french football, league fixture, league leaders, league outing, loris, Ludovic Giuly, paris saint germain, parisian, special game, stade velodrome, strange feeling, swine flu, top flight, world cup qualification

Bloodied Bordeaux look to re-assert superiority

October 17, 2009

Bordeaux’s French crown slipped after a shock 3-1 defeat at Saint-Etienne in their last Ligue 1 outing and the champions will hope to make an immediate return to winning ways at Auxerre on Saturday.

The unexpected reverse against Alain Perrin’s resurgent side was Bordeaux’s first league defeat in 19 matches and allowed Lyon to go into the international break with a one-point lead at the summit.

Auxerre, meanwhile, have recovered from a three-game losing start that saw them sink to the bottom of the table, rising to 10th on the back of a five-match unbeaten run.

Bordeaux’s Brazilian midfielder Wendel attributed the Saint-Etienne defeat to tiredness brought on by the club’s exertions in both the domestic championship and the Champions League.

“I think there was a lot of fatigue,” he said. “The matches against Rennes and Maccabi (Haifa) took a lot of our energy; energy which we missed at Saint-Etienne.

“But we’re second in the league table and still on track. We’re going to Auxerre for the next match and we’re going to do what it takes to get the three points and stay at the top of the standings.”

Lyon are France’s in-form side with six wins and two draws to date and guard the only unbeaten record in the top flight.

They host 14th-placed Sochaux, who will be without striker Charlie Davies after the USA international was seriously hurt in a car accident that claimed the life of one of his female companions.

The 23-year-old, who featured in the USA’s 3-2 win over Honduras last Saturday, suffered multiple facial fractures, a badly broken right leg, a broken left elbow and a lacerated bladder in the crash in Virginia and could be out for the rest of the season.

Elsewhere, Didier Deschamps’s Marseille travel to Nancy still reeling from back-to-back league losses against Valenciennes and Monaco.

The Mediterranean club also went down to a humbling 3-0 defeat at Real Madrid in the Champions League group stage at the end of September and midfielder Benoit Cheyrou says they must respond in the right manner at Nancy.

“We’re not thinking about defeat at Nancy,” said the 28-year-old.

“We’ve had three consecutive defeats, we know that we’re expected to turn it around but we still have to get the three points.

“It’s at times like this when things aren’t going well that we really need to show togetherness and solidarity. That’s what we’re trying to do at the moment.”

In Saturday’s remaining fixtures, second-bottom Le Mans host Boulogne, surprise package Montpellier — three points behind Lyon in third — take on Saint-Etienne, Rennes visit Lille and Grenoble’s quest for a first point of the season continues at Valenciennes.

Monaco, who moved up to fourth on the back of their win against Marseille, play Lens on Sunday, with Lorient facing Nice.

Andre-Pierre Gignac contributed a stunning goal to France’s 3-1 World Cup qualifying victory over Austria on Wednesday and the Toulouse man will hope to continue his fine form at home to Paris Saint-Germain in the last match of the weekend.

Fixtures

Saturday (1700GMT unless otherwise stated)

Auxerre v Bordeaux, Le Mans v Boulogne, Lyon v Sochaux, Montpellier v Saint-Etienne, Nancy v Marseille, Valenciennes v Grenoble, Lille v Rennes (1900GMT)

Sunday (1500GMT unless otherwise stated)

Lorient v Nice, Monaco v Lens, Toulouse v Paris St-Germain (1900GMT)

PARIS (AFP)

Tags: Alain Perrin, Andre-Pierre Gignac, auxerre, benoit cheyrou, champions league group, Charlie Davies, energy energy, exertions, female companions, Germain, group stage, Honduras, Ligue 1, Lorient, Lyon, maccabi haifa, Mediterranean, Montpellier, saint etienne, sochaux, Toulouse, unbeaten record, valenciennes, winning ways

Marseille suffer in shock defeat

September 26, 2009

Marseille’s build-up to their crucial Champions League assignment at mighty Real Madrid in midweek suffered an embarrassing setback on Saturday when they slumped to a 3-2 defeat at humble Valenciennes, twice surrendering a lead.

The defeat also cost Didier Deschamps’s team the chance to take over top spot in the French first division.

They remain in third place, two points behind leaders and champions Bordeaux, who tackle Rennes on Sunday while Lyon can go top later Saturday with victory over Toulouse.

Former Real Madrid and Liverpool striker Fernando Morientes started his first match for Marseille since his summer switch from Valencia and the former Spanish international star opened the scoring in the 13th minute after good work by Lucho and Brandao.

Milan Bisevac levelled for Valenciennes seven minutes later after Marseille goalkeeper Steve Mandanda could only parry a sharp drive from Rafael.

Mamadou Niang restored Marseille’s lead in the 22nd minute after a corner from Benoit Cheyrou wasn’t cleared.

In the 28th minute Valenciennes, who thumped Sochaux 5-2 last weekend, were level for the second time with David Ducourtioux planting a diving header past Mandanda.

The match looked to be heading for a draw until Brazilian defender Rafael headed Valenciennes’ winner seven minutes from time.

Unheralded Montpellier share third spot with Marseille after Nenad Dzodic headed a 78th-minute winner at home to promoted Boulogne for a 1-0 win.

Paris St Germain, held to a home 1-1 draw by Lyon last week, lost further ground in the title race when they drew 1-1 at Lorient.

Arnold Mvuemba gave Lorient a 40th-minute lead but Guillaume Hoarau levelled for PSG in first-half injury-time.

Monaco are just behind PSG in seventh place on goal difference after losing 2-1 at home to Saint Etienne for whom Argentine striker Gonzalo Bergessio scored a last-minute goal.

Hapless Grenoble suffered their seventh defeat in seven outings and are rooted to the bottom of the table without a point.

PARIS (AFP)

Tags: benoit cheyrou, brandao, didier deschamps, fernando morientes, goal difference, injury time, international star, Lucho, mamadou, minute goal, minute winner, paris st germain, psg, real madrid, saint etienne, sochaux, Steve Mandanda, summer switch, valenciennes

Marseille seek to build on bright start ´at home´

August 15, 2009

Marseille play their first ‘home’ match of the new campaign against Lille this weekend aiming to consolidate their position as pre-season favourites to take their first title in almost two decades.

The fixture is being held in Montpellier as Marseille’s Velodrome stadium is still shut following the death of two stage hands setting up a Madonna concert last month.

“It’s a special game, we’d prefer all the same to be playing at the Velodrome in front of our fans and our surroundings. We know the reasons for this move and we don’t have a choice,” said midfielder Benoit Cheyrou.

Didier Deschamps’ team, runners-up last term, avoided an opening day slip-up at Grenoble and now face a Lille side who lost out to Lorient in their 2009-2010 curtain-raiser.

Deschamps, Eric Gerets’ successor, said there were more positives than negatives to be taken out of last weekend’s win and he will be counting on his men to maintain their favourable early impression in Sunday’s late match.

For striker Hatem Ben Arfa, Marseille, who signed no fewer than ten players in the close season, are on the right track.

He said: “There are lots of new players, that’s changed a lot compared to last year.

“We have to give them time to adapt. There’s a good atmosphere though, we felt that at Grenoble.”

Bordeaux, coached by Deschamps’ former France teammate and fellow 1998 World Cup winner Laurent Blanc, can steal an early march on their rivals with a result on the road at Sochaux 24 hours earlier.

Bordeaux took last season’s title by just three points to end Lyon’s seven-year grip on La Ligue.

The former multiple champions were only saved an embarrassing opening loss to minnows Le Mans by new signing Lisandro Lopez, who netted a last minute freekick to salvage a 2-2 draw.

They now face Valenciennes at their Stade Gerland.

Lyon boss Claude Puel was frustrated by last week’s draw, and said: “We have to be more consistent throughout the entire match. That’s what we’ve been looking for in all our pre-season friendlies.”

On his side’s second run out of the season Puel, with one eye on next week’s Champions League tie with Anderlecht, added: “It’s a league encounter which comes before a European one against two teams which play a very different style of football.

“Valenciennes turn up with a very solid defensive base.”

Like Lyon, Toulouse had some players on international duty this week, not least Andre-Pierre Gignac who saved France in Wednesday’s World Cup qualifier in the Faroe Islands.

The big striker produced his first goal for his country and he will be out to perform similar sterling work for his club when they host Saint Etienne in Saturday’s late kick-off.

Both teams are seeking to get off the mark after suffering defeats to Deschamps’ former side Monaco and Nice respectively.

Fixtures

Saturday (all 1700GMT unles stated)

Lens v Auxerre, Lorient v Montpellier, Lyon v Valenciennes, Nancy v Monaco, PSG v Le Mans, Sochaux v Bordeaux, Toulouse v Saint Etienne (1900GMT)

Sunday (all 1500GMT unles stated)

Boulogne v Grenoble, Nice v Rennes, Marseille v Lille (1900GMT at Montpellier)

PARIS (AFP)

Tags: Andre-Pierre Gignac, benoit cheyrou, Bordeaux, Boulogne, claude puel, curtain raiser, didier deschamps, entire match, eric gerets, faroe islands, France, freekick, Grenoble, hatem ben arfa, home match, laurent blanc, lisandro lopez, Lorient, Lyon, Madonna, madonna concert, Marseille, minnows, Monaco, Montpellier, Nancy, Nice, PARIS, Rennes, sochaux, special game, stade gerland lyon, stage hands, team runners, Toulouse, velodrome, world cup winner

Marseille off to French flier as Lyon, PSG held

August 8, 2009

There was early awayday cheer for title hopefuls Marseille on the opening day of the new French league season Saturday, but Lyon and Paris St Germain had to make do with draws.

Lyon were saved at the death by new signing from Porto Lisandro Lopez, who netted a freekick to salvage a 2-2 draw at lowly Le Mans, who were twice ahead, while PSG stuttered to a 1-1 draw at Montpellier.

Former European champions Marseille, who have endured a 17-year wait for a league crown, were ahead after just two minutes at Grenoble as Mamadou Niang put them in front having slalomed through a brittle home defence.

New Marseille coach Didier Deschamps, determined to bring the good times back to the Stade Velodrome, permitted himself a nod of satisfaction on the bench as Benoit Cheyrou secured the points with the second goal ten minutes from time.

Marseille finished three points adrift of champions Bordeaux last term and now are bent on going one better.

The Girondins, coached by Deschamps’ erstwhile French international teammate Laurent Blanc, will take on Lens in Sunday’s game.

PSG, wholesale underachievers since their last championship win back in 1994, again showed their flaws in drawing 1-1 at Montpellier.

The hosts from the south were down to 10 men for the last hour after Cyril Jeunechamp was dismissed for a second bookable offence for scything down PSG’s Ludovic Giuly from behind in the 27th minute.

Giuly exacted delicious revenge by firing home from close range in the 71st minute after home keeper Geoffrey Jourdren spilled a shot from veteran Claude Makelele.

But rugged Bosnian new signing Emir Spahic powered in a header from inside the six-yard box on the stroke of time to deny the Parisians all three points.

Lyon had a double fright, meanwhile, at Le Mans, who were ahead on 21 minutes through Malian youngster Modibo Maiga.

Mathieu Bodmer levelled seven minutes later for Lyon, who could only come in third last season after seven league title wins on the trot – when the run began they had never lifted the trophy in their history – but Mathieu Coutadeur scored from the penalty spot on the hour to restore the hosts’ lead.

Brazilian defender Cris tangled with Maiga to earn Le Mans the spotkick but just as an embarrassing loss loomed up popped Lopez to save Lyon’s blushes.

Elsewhere, Saint-Etienne, who just survived last season after months of trials and tribulations which belied their former status of French giants, went down 2-0 at home to Nice.

Auxerre also lost on home soil to Sochaux by the only goal and northerners Nancy won on their travels, 3-1 at Valenciennes.

Monaco thanked a first-half strike from Nene to see off Toulouse 1-0 in the principality while Rennes swamped promoted Boulogne 3-0.

PARIS (AFP)

Tags: benoit cheyrou, bookable offence, Bordeaux, Boulogne, Claude Makelele, Cyril Jeunechamp, delicious revenge, didier deschamps, drawing 1, european champions, french international, french league, Geoffrey Jourdren, Germain, home defence, home keeper, laurent blanc, league crown, lisandro lopez, Ludovic Giuly, Lyon, mamadou niang, Mans, Marseille, mathieu bodmer, Mathieu Coutadeur, Monaco, Nice, PARIS, paris st germain, parisians, PORTO, Rennes, saint etienne, slalomed, Toulouse, underachievers

Marseille strengthen title claim with fightback win

April 27, 2009

PARIS (AFP) – Marseille took a significant step towards their first French league title for 17 years when they came from a goal down to win 2-1 in a tense match at Lille on Sunday.

It was only Lille’s second home defeat of the season and extends Marseille’s lead at the Ligue 1 summit to five points with five games to play.

Second-placed Bordeaux – 4-0 winners over second-division Vannes in Saturday’s League Cup final – have a game in hand at Rennes on Wednesday.

Marseille’s France international goalkeeper Steve Mandana saved a Michel Bastos penalty in the first half, but minutes after half-time 18-year-old Belgian midfielder Eden Hazard capped a sweeping move with a nerveless finish to put the hosts ahead.

Their lead, though, was short-lived, as Marseille midfielder Benoit Cheyrou drilled home a left-footed half-volley in the 54th minute before Senegalese striker Mamadou Niang struck what proved to be the winner three minutes later.

Earlier on Sunday, a disastrous error by goalkeeper Lionel Cappone allowed Champions League-chasing Toulouse to salvage a 1-1 draw from their meeting with mid-table Lorient.

Toulouse were dumped out of the French Cup after losing 2-1 to second-tier outfit Guingamp in their mid-week semi-final and their bad luck appeared to be continuing when Andre Ayew slammed Lorient ahead in the 85th minute.

But Cappone let the ball squirm out of his hands after sliding out to the left-hand edge of his penalty area in the 89th minute, enabling Etienne Didot to square for Mauro Cetto to convert a simple equaliser for the home side.

Toulouse remain fifth, one place above Lille and four points off the last Champions League qualifying berth.

At the other end of the table, Vaclav Sverkos’s injury-time penalty enabled Sochaux to claim a 1-1 draw at home to Valenciennes that moves them two places above the drop zone.

Fallen giants St Etienne remain in the bottom three after losing 3-1 at Nice, while there was heartbreak for second-bottom Caen, who conceded two late goals by Polish striker Ireneusz Jelen to lose 2-1 at Auxerre.

Elsewhere, Nancy beat Nantes 2-0 and Monaco won 1-0 at Le Mans, while rock-bottom Le Havre are 12 points from safety after going down 1-0 against Grenoble.

On Friday night, Lyon’s bid for an eighth successive Ligue 1 title was further compromised when they were held to a goalless draw at home to Paris St-Germain.

The champions have now picked up just nine points from a possible 24 and are in danger of missing out on third place and a lucrative place in next season’s Champions League.

“The match statistics don’t look too good at the moment,” said Lyon coach Claude Puel, whose side stay third, a point above PSG.

“After the match we felt frustrated. We might win the fair play award at the end of the season but that doesn’t really suit me all that much.”

Tags: Andre Ayew, benoit cheyrou, Bordeaux, bordeaux 4, cetto, claude puel, drop zone, Eden, equaliser, etienne didot, France, france international, french cup, french league title, Germain, guingamp, hand edge, injury time, Le Havre, Ligue 1, Lille, Lionel Cappone, Lorient, mandana, Mans, mauro cetto, Michel Bastos, mid table, Monaco, Nantes, Nice, PARIS, Rennes, sochaux, st etienne, Steve Mandana, time penalty, Toulouse, vaclav sverkos, valenciennes, Vannes

Lyon beat Grenoble to retain top spot in France

January 18, 2009

PARIS (AFP) – Lyon’s 2-0 victory over neighbours Grenoble on Saturday assured Claude Puel’s men of the French league top spot this weekend and helped them reassert themselves after a run of just one win in six matches.

Ederson’s 15th-minute opener and then Cesar Delgado’s strike towards the end of the match will have helped the seven-times reigning champions in their self-belief.

Lyon star Karim Benzema fed Ederson who shot firmly past keeper Gregory Wimbe for the first goal and then Delgado hit the second in the 77th minute after finding the net at the far post following a cross from the left by Kim Kallstrom.

Laurent Blanc’s Bordeaux however have won their last four matches, including a Yoann Gourcuff-led, 4-0 thrashing of PSG last weekend which gave notice to Lyon that a team capable of high quality both in defence and going forward was not far behind.

A win at Nantes later on Saturday would propel Bordeaux to just one point behind Lyon, who have Sidney Govou, John Mensah, Anthony Reveillere and Francois Clerc on the injured list.

Marseille meanwhile moved up a place to third following a 2-0 win over Le Havre following the midweek fall-out between major shareholder Robert Louis-Dreyfus and club president Pape Diouf who played out a media tiff in reference to the club’s trophyless spell since Diouf’s arrival in February 2005.

Mathieu Valbuena hit Marseille’s first goal in the 25th minute after receiving the ball from Benoit Cheyrou and, running into the box, fired right-footed across goal into the net.

Ronald Zubar then headed home the second on the hour at the far post following a freekick on the left from Karim Ziani.

Written by: AFP