Lyon win on the road

Lyon moved within three points of fourth-placed Lille with a hard-fought 1-0 win in Guingamp.

Lyon moved within three points of fourth-placed Lille with a hard-fought 1-0 win in Guingamp. Bafetimbi Gomis' 11th goal of the season just after the interval proved to be enough to bring an end to a run of two successive defeats for Les Gones folliwing Thursday's Europa League defeat in Plzen. Alexandre Lacazette almost got Les Gones off to a perfect start but his stinging effort brought a smart save out of Mamadou Samassa before opposing goalkeeper Anthony Lopes turned Rachid Alioui's shot around the post moments later. Guingamp began to find their feet and Thibaut Giresse was the next to test the hands of Lopes when his 25-yard free-kick looked like nestling in the bottom corner before Lyon's shot-stopper intervened. Lacazette continued to threaten the hosts defence and twice went close to an opening goal but Samassa turned his first time shot around the post before the France Under-21 international fired over after Mouhamadou Dabo found him inside the area as half-time approached. Lyon did not have to wait long after the break for that elusive opener when the lively Lacazette found Gomis inside the area and, with the help of a deflection, his shot beat Samassa before nestling in the back of the net. Guingamp almost hit back straight away when Moustapha Diallo rose above Bakary Kone to power Giresse's corner at goal but, not for the first time in the match, Lopes was equal to it and pushed the ball to safety. The hosts continued to press Lyon in search of a leveller but Lopes was proving to be a difficult opponent to beat and he saved again from an Alioui snapshot as Remi Garde's men lived dangerously. Jocelyn Gourvennec must have thought his side had made the decisive breakthrough with 10 minutes left to play when Ladislas Douniama released Mana Dembele through on goal but the former Clermont Foot striker inexplicably fired wide of the target with only Lopes to beat. That proved to be the hosts undoing and, after Diallo headed wide of the right post with just a few minutes left, Guingamp were made to pay for the their wastefulness.