Lyon extends winning run with defeat of Nantes

PARIS (AP) — Seven-time French champion Lyon continued its recovery with a fourth straight win in all competitions Sunday by beating Nantes 2-0 in the French league.

A goal from Nicolas Tagliafico and an own-goal from Nantes defender Nicolas Pallois earned Lyon its third win in seven league matches, giving the club some room to breathe at five points above the relegation playoff spot.

Tagliafico put the hosts in the lead in the 22nd minute from Saïd Benrahma's cross for his first goal this season.

Nantes wasted several occasions to level and was punished after the interval when Pallois accidentally beat his own goalkeeper as he tried to defend a cross from Corentin Tolisso.

Reims sinks Montpellier

The Champagne side moved up to fourth place with a 4-2 win over a lethargic Montpellier side.

The hosts took the lead in the sixth minute with a header from captain Marshall Munetsi.

“We all share the same ambition to win the most matches, and enjoy ourselves" Munetsi said after his team produced a fourth league win and cut the gap with leader Monaco to five points.

Keito Nakamura exploited a poor clearance to show his dribbling skills and make it 2-0 with an impressive strike. Oumar Diakité and Teddy Teuma scored Reims' other goals while Arnaud Nordin had a brace for Montpellier. The southern team remained in the relegation zone with the worst defensive record in the league, having already conceded 21 goals.

In other matches, Brest followed up its 4-0 midweek win over Salzburg in the Champions League with a 2-0 defeat of Le Havre, and Lens drew 2-2 at Strasbourg.

Lagging three points behind unbeaten Monaco, Paris Saint-Germain has a chance to close the gap with a win at Nice later Sunday.

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