Olympique Lyonnais’ extraordinary resurgence continued at the Stade de la Beaujoire, where they secured a gritty 1-0 victory over Nantes. The win provisionally moves Lyon into third place in Ligue 1, leapfrogging Marseille, and cements their status as Europe’s most in-form side.
The decisive moment arrived in the 25th minute. After a quick corner-kick routine, Afonso Moreira’s half-volley was instinctively deflected into the net by Pavel Šulc. It was the Czech midfielder’s 10th league goal of a breakout season, rewarding Lyon’s early dominance and tactical fluidity under Paulo Fonseca.
However, the match turned on its head in the 61st minute. Endrick, who had been a constant threat on the right wing, was shown a straight red card following a VAR review for a high challenge on Dehmaine Tabibou. The dismissal forced Lyon into a "low block" for the final half-hour, testing the resolve of a backline anchored by Moussa Niakhaté and goalkeeper Dominik Greif.
Nantes threw everything forward in the closing stages, with substitute Youssef El-Arabi hitting the post with a header, but they could not find a way past Greif. The Slovakian shot-stopper made several crucial saves to preserve the clean sheet and the three points.
What It Means: Lyon’s 12th consecutive win marks their best run in over a decade, keeping them firmly in the Champions League qualification spots. For Nantes, a fourth straight defeat leaves them hovering precariously in 16th place, the relegation playoff position.