Serious and dominating despite a scare in added time, the Lyonnais finally returned to victory by winning at Troyes, with more margin than the score indicates, won on a generous penalty (1-0). Peter Bosz‘s men are provisionally 10th tied with Lille.
In search of a victory since November 28 (in Montpellier), Peter Bosz’s men finally broke a negative spiral, winning in Troyes, and temporarily returning at least up to Lille in 10th place.
For his first match at the head of ESTAC, Bruno Irles nevertheless believed in winning a point in the last seconds of the match, when Dubois cleared on the line a ball taken back acrobatically by Ripart, on the final corner. . But OL did not crack this time.
The Lyonnais as a whole, have mastered their subject rather well, and only a lack of realism, like this first opportunity in the 12th minute by Dubois, spoiling the conclusion of a very good service from Caqueret, had them prevented from making the difference sooner.
Despite a Trojan reaction, with Conté, launched behind Dubois, but well stopped by a vigilant Lopes (24th), OL made good use of their 3-4-2-1 system, with a good Paqueta – Dubois connection especially in the offensive animation.
Dembélé scores his 50th goal with OL
Paqueta, served by Guimaraes, had forced Gallon into a difficult first save (29th), but it was a generous penalty that would allow OL and Dembélé to transform the sentence, scoring in the 33rd minute, after validation of the VAR, his 50th goal in the colors of his club.
But the Trojans had been right to protest, because Palmer-Brown, by countering a cross from Aouar for Dubois, had seen the ball come back to him on the back of his arm completely involuntarily.
This goal had nevertheless instilled a bit of additional confidence in the Lyonnais, who could have doubled the bet by Paqueta and Dembélé, stumbling in turn on Gallon (42nd), or even Dubois, finding the post after a very good action individual.
Without being completely sheltered, OL knew the importance of displaying more realism in front of goal, but their actions in the second period, often well constructed, lacked sharpness at the conclusion. With a precious Dembélé, and with Shaqiri relaying a discreet Aouar, the intentions were laudable, but as the last quarter of an hour approached, too often fatal this season, OL held on.
