Lyon secured a comfortable 2-0 victory over Nice at the Parc Olympique Lyonnais, with goals from Corentin Tolisso and Noah Nartey sealing the crucial Ligue 1 points.
Heading into the fixture, third-placed Lyon showcased impressive form, boasting five consecutive wins in Ligue 1. Their opponents, Nice, found themselves in 14th position, battling for consistency after a mixed run of recent results.
The match saw an early disruption for Nice as E. Wahi was substituted in the 6th minute, forcing a quick tactical adjustment. Moments later, the referee issued the first card of the game. M. Sanson of Nice received a yellow card in the 21st minute for a handball offense.
As halftime approached, Lyon broke the deadlock. Corentin Tolisso found the net in the 45+1 minute, guiding the ball home after good work from P. Sulc. This late first-half strike provided Lyon with a vital advantage.
The first half concluded with further disciplinary action. Lyon's Ainsley Maitland-Niles was booked in the 45+4 minute for a foul. This indicated a physically contested opening period between the two sides.
Lyon entered the break with a narrow lead, but the contest remained open. Nice needed to increase their attacking threat to find an equalizer. For Lyon, the focus was on maintaining their composure and control.
The second half began with continued intensity. Lyon's Tanner Tessmann quickly entered the referee's book, earning a yellow card in the 52nd minute for roughing. This kept the card count rising for the home side.
Lyon then extended their lead, giving themselves breathing room. Noah Nartey scored in the 64th minute, drilling a shot past the Nice goalkeeper. This second goal solidified Lyon’s grip on the match, to the delight of the home crowd.
Following the second goal, Lyon made a change, with goal-scorer Tolisso making way for K. Merah in the 66th minute. Nice responded with a flurry of substitutions, introducing J. Bah, Kevin, and H. Boudaoui in the 74th and 75th minutes to inject fresh impetus.
As the game wound down, Lyon made further tactical changes. P. Sulc was replaced by R. Yaremchuk in the 81st minute, and Ainsley Maitland-Niles was substituted for N. Kamara in stoppage time. Abner Vinicius also received a yellow card for holding in the 87th minute.
Statistically, Lyon controlled possession with 57%, producing 9 shots in total with 2 on target. Nice managed 10 shots, 3 of which tested Lyon keeper Dominik Greif, who made 3 crucial saves. Lyon's Expected Goals (xG) was 1.32, slightly above Nice's 1.26.
This commanding 2-0 win pushed Lyon to 45 points from 22 games, further cementing their third-place standing in Ligue 1. Nice, with 23 points, remains in 14th, now facing increased pressure to reverse their fortunes in upcoming matches.
