Lyon defeat Marseille in Ligue 1 showdown

Dec 17, 2017 - 6:22 PM Lyon have struck a goal in each half through Nabil Fekir and Mariano Diaz to register a 2-0 French Ligue 1 victory over Marseille.

The visitors' unbeaten 12-match run came to an end and they will rue the missed chances and fine saves made by Anthony Lopes in the first-half that meant they entered the interval a goal behind.

Steve Mandanda's calamitous attempt at saving Fekir's long-range free-kick in the sixth minute will surely haunt the French keeper.

The ball was struck from 30 metres out and Mandanda had a clear line of sight only to allow the ball to bounce in front of him and then deflect into the bottom left corner for Fekir's 12th goal of the campaign.

Lyon dominated the second-half and although Mandanda was able to gain at least partial redemption by keeping Mariano's first shot out, he was exposed for the follow-up that saw the Dominic Republic marksman Mariano notch his 13th league goal of the season.

The win took Lyon to 38 points, level on points with second-placed Monaco but still nine adrift of leaders Paris Saint-Germain. Marseille are fourth on 35 points.

Mario Balotelli was on target to give Nice a 1-0 victory over Bordeaux.

Balotelli struck for the ninth time in this term's league campaign after beating goalkeeper Jerome Prior in the 37th minute.

Nice are sixth, four points behind fifth-placed Nantes who accounted for Angers 1-0 despite the dismissal of Yacine Bammou.

He was sent off in the 66th minute after receiving his second yellow card, but by that point the home side were already in front.

Emiliano Sala supplied the winning goal in the first half after delivering an unstoppable penalty, finding the net for the sixth time this season, to heighten the pressure on second-from-bottom Angers.

Source: AAP