Lyon jumped up to second place in Ligue 1 after they edged past

bottom side Troyes 1-0 on Saturday, eventually taking advantage of

playing almost an hour with a man advantage.

Claudio Beauvue converted a 78th-minute penalty as Hubert Fournier’s

side, who face a critical Champions League group stage clash at home to

Zenit St Petersburg on Wednesday, finally capitalised on Corentin Jean’s

first-half dismissal.

“The main thing is the victory but we can’t be fully satisfied with our performance,” Fournier said afterwards.

“Our play lacked speed, intensity and impact against a very well organised defence. 

“We’ve been heavily criticised but we’re second in the league and we still have a lot of improvements to make,” he added.

Lyon have taken 10 points from their past four matches but last

season’s runners-up are still 10 points behind runaway leaders Paris

Saint-Germain, who beat Rennes 1-0 on Friday thanks to Angel di Maria’s

second-half strike.

It was a largely frustrating evening at the Stade de l’Aube for Lyon

who rarely tested home goalkeeper Paul Bernardoni despite countless

efforts on goal.

Bernardoni did make a sharp one-handed stop to push away Corentin

Tolisso’s deflected strike just before Jean was sent off for a heavy

challenge on Sergi Darder 10 minutes before half-time.

Jordan Ferri and Alexandre Lazacatte went close either side of the

break but Lyon struggled to break down a gritty Troyes outfit still

searching for a first victory this term.

However, the visitors were awarded a penalty, despite strong protests

from Troyes players, with 11 minutes remaining when Chris Mavinga

brought down Lacazette in the box.

Beauvue calmly sent Bernardoni the wrong way from the spot for his

fourth goal of the season to send Lyon second, level on points with

Angers, who visit Monaco on Sunday, and Saint-Etienne.

Earlier, Christophe Galtier’s men brushed aside a slumping Reims side

3-0 with second-half goals from Robert Beric and Valentin Eysseric plus

an own-goal from Prince Oniangue.

Gazelec Ajaccio strung together a second straight win as Mohamed

Larbi struck twice to help the islanders beat Bordeaux 2-0, pulling

level with 17th-placed Montpellier, who drew 1-1 at fellow strugglers

Toulouse. 

Benjamin Moukandjo struck deep into stoppage time to rescue a point

for Lorient in a bad-tempered 2-2 draw at Brittany rivals Guingamp.

Jimmy Briand had given Guingamp a first-minute lead before both sides

were reduced to 10 men before the interval with Majeed Waris dismissed

for Lorient and Younousse Sankhare following the Ghanaian down the

tunnel shortly after.

Moukandjo converted a penalty to make it 1-1 just past the hour but

Yannis Salibur restored Guingamp’s lead six minutes from time before

Moukandjo struck his second of the contest.

Sadio Diallo’s first-half goal guided Bastia to a 1-0 victory over Caen as the Normandy club dropped two places to fifth.