Lyon have kicked off a Ligue 1 season with five wins in six matches for the first time in 17 years, after battling to a 1-0 away victory over Lille – a result which has moved them level on 15 points with leaders Paris Saint-Germain.
The in-form Gones got the better of their hosts in a gripping opening 20-minute period at the Stade Pierre-Mauroy, even though they had to rely on their goalkeeper to make two important stops.
Dominik Greif got down low to his left to thwart Matias Fernandez-Pardo, just moments before Tyler Morton opened the scoring and his Lyon account in the process. The former Liverpool midfielder made an undetected run into the box to meet Nicolas Tagliafico’s clipped delivery, and steered his composed header past the statuesque Arnaud Bodart.
The visitors’ early lead was then put under immediate threat, but fortunately for Paulo Fonseca’s charges, Greif stood tall to get behind Ngal'ayel Mukau's fierce drive, before scrambling to prevent Olivier Giroud from heading in the loose ball.
Following a frenetic opening, the chances started to dry up as the half went on – a somewhat expected development, given Lyon’s record as the only Ligue 1 team yet to concede in the first period this term.
After going into the break with a narrow deficit, the determined hosts showed great intent after the restart, and really should have equalised before the 70th-minute mark. Hakon Arnar Haraldsson failed to hit the target after being teed up by Calvin Verdonk’s neat cut-back, before Felix Correia spurned another glorious opportunity when he blazed the ball over just as it seemed the goal was at his mercy.
Lyon were clearly focused on protecting their slender advantage rather than adding to it, as they put their faith in a backline that boasted the best defensive record in the French top-flight ahead of the weekend.
Grief made sure that the game plan paid off, reacting smartly to Osame Sahraoui’s late near-post effort to seal a third win in four H2H league meetings, and condemn sixth-placed Lille to successive Ligue 1 defeats – their first since last September.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Tyler Morton (Lyon)