Lyon moved to the top of Ligue 1 on Sunday after a dramatic weekend that left five clubs tied on 14 points at the summit of French football, as Monaco suffered their first defeat of the season and Paris FC won a seven-goal thriller.
Playing at Groupama Stadium in front of French cycling prodigy Paul Seixas, Lyon came from behind to beat Nice 2-1 despite finishing with ten men. Nice had taken the lead in the 18th minute when Ivory Coast forward Elye Wahi scored his second goal of the season. Lyon responded with two quick goals before halftime, as Pavel Sulc equalized from a rebound and American midfielder Tanner Tessmann headed the hosts in front. The second half turned tense after substitute Keito Nakamura was sent off for a high boot with twenty minutes remaining. Belgian veteran Axel Witsel hit the bar for Lyon, while Wahi hit the post for Nice and saw an injury-time equalizer ruled out for a razor-tight offside.
The result was enough to lift Lyon above the pack on goal difference. Coach Paulo Fonseca said after the match, “It’s good to be top but it’s not the most important thing. Having 14 points is very positive. Of course, that gives us confidence and greater responsibilities, but at this stage of the season it changes nothing.”
Lyon’s rise was made possible by Monaco’s slip. The previous leaders lost 1-0 away to Lorient at Stade du Moustoir, their first league defeat of the season. The decisive moment came on the hour mark when Monaco captain Denis Zakaria fouled wing back Dembo Sylla to concede a penalty. Noah Cadiou converted from the spot, beating Finnish goalkeeper Lukas Hradecky who dived the right way.
The weekend also produced the most dramatic game of the season so far at Stade Jean-Bouin, where Paris FC beat Rennes 4-3. Rennes forward Esteban Lepaul, fresh from his first senior call-up to the French national team during the international break, scored a hat-trick of penalties. Paris FC answered with a stunning overhead bicycle kick from Lassine Sinayoko, who then scored the winning penalty in the 97th minute to secure all three points and join the leading group.
Elsewhere, Marseille secured a vital 5-2 victory over Angers to move clear of the relegation places, while Auxerre deepened Le Havre’s troubles with a 3-1 win that left them bottom of the table.
With the table now showing Lyon, Paris Saint-Germain, Paris FC, Lille and Monaco all level on 14 points, Lyon sit top on goal difference. The next round brings a high-stakes showdown as Lyon travel to face PSG in Paris, a game that will determine who holds the outright lead heading into the second quarter of the season.
