Lyon held to 1-1 draw by Marseille
A beautiful flick by http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Mathieu-Valbuena-c24690 was enough to deny Lyon top spot in the Ligue 1 standings, as Marseille drew against their title rivals. The game at the Stade Velodrome saw Marseille and Lyon settle for a draw in an uninspiring story of two halves.
Lisandro Lopez gave Lyon the lead in the 35th minute, but Didier Deschamp’s team showed great commitment and leveled in the 51st minute, when Valbuena’s improvised flick beat http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/France-c2899
keeper http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Hugo-Lloris-c16408 to salvage a point for Marseille. The draw moves Marseille above Saint Etienne into fifth place due to their superior goal difference, while Lyon stay in fourth place as they failed to take advantage of the opportunity to go top of the league.
Both sides struggled to find their rhythm early on in the game. However Marseille should have taken the lead in the eighth minute, when a defensive mix up between Pape Diakhate and http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Dejan-Lovren-c10779 gave Ghanaian Andre Ayew a clear chance at goal, but his 20-yard
shot was easily saved by Lloris.
The games controversial moment came when the home side was denied a goal, which was adjudged offside. Andre-Pierre Gignac received Benoit Cheyrou’s cross and easily slid the ball in the net from just 15 meters out, but it was ruled out as Loic Remy was in
an offside position, although Remy didn't make contact with the ball.
Lyon looked very unconvincing in the initial stages of the match, but managed to take the lead in the 35th minute. Brazilian http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Michel-Bastos-c25461 slid a delightful pass in the box that was left alone by Jean Makoun, allowing
Argentine, Lisandro Lopez to put the ball in the net to score his eighth league goal of the campaign.
The visitors then had another chance to double their lead moments before half-time, as Bastos stormed through the Marseille defence and unleashed a blinder, that narrowly missed the goal. Marseille came back strong in the second half, to cancel Lyons’ lead
in the 51st minute. Cheyrou curled one in towards Valbuena, who instinctively flicked the ball towards the goal as Lloris was left stranded.
Lyon had a great chance to regain the lead five minutes later when Maxime Gonalons’ rasping effort was brilliantly held by http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Steve-Mandanda-c34177. On 77 minutes Marseille got a great chance to take all three points, when Pape Diakhate’s poor back header, which was
meant for keeper Lloris fell to Gignac and his flick went agonizingly wide of the goal.
This Wednesday Lyon host Auxerre, while Marseille visit high-flying newcomers Stade Brestois.
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