Lyon blow chance to go top after loss at Lens
PARIS: Lyon missed the chance to go top of Ligue 1 on Friday after sliding to their first defeat of the season, losing 2-1 at Lens.
Paris - Lyon had a chance to top Ligue 1 on Friday, but instead suffered their first loss of the season, falling 2-1 at Lens. Florian Sotoca opened the scoring late in the first half, while Matthieu Udol doubled the lead for Lens with a header in the 76th minute. Udol was sent off for a reckless tackle on young player Khalis Merah, who scored a consolation goal for Lyon.
Yannick Cahuzac secured a win for the first time as Lens coach after replacing Dino Toppmoeller just six games earlier. Lens had ended a four-match winless streak in the league, boosting their chances ahead of an upcoming Champions League match against Sporting Lisbon.
Lyon now sit two points behind leaders Monaco. Their hosts will play last season's UEFA Conference League winners Crystal Palace in the Europa League on Thursday. Lyon's coach, Paulo Fonseca, admitted that defensively they had struggled, giving up possession too easily and lacking pressing. He also cited the limited preparation time following the international break as a factor in the defeat. However, Fonseca refused to make excuses, emphasizing the difficulty of preparing for such a match in such a short time.
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