Lorient 1 - 0 Lyonnais: Benjamin Lecomte repels Lyon's attackers as Lorient claim surprise win
Posted Sunday, September 25, 2016 by PA
Lyon missed out on the chance to move level on points with third-placed Paris St Germain in Ligue 1 as they suffered a shock 1-0 defeat to Lorient.
Jimmy Cabot's second-half strike proved the difference as an inspired Benjamin Lecomte in the Lorient goal kept Les Gones at bay to help his side move out of the bottom three.
Both goalkeepers were called into action around the quarter-hour mark as Anthony Lopes pushed away Zargo Toure's dangerous free-kick from distance before, moments later, Lecomte made a smart stop to deny Maciej Rybus from just inside the area.
Lecomte was called upon again on half an hour and the Lorient keeper's reflex save was even better this time as Nabil Fekir did well to tee up Corentin Tolisso for a first-time effort.
The lively Fekir continued to test the Lorient defence but he saw a half-volley from the left of the area fly over the bar before the impressive Lecomte made yet another solid stop to deny Lyon's danger man.
Fekir lost out again to Lecomte just before the break but, despite Les Gones' dominance, they found themselves a goal behind just after the restart.
Maxime Barthelme latched on to Vincent Le Goff's pass on the left and the former's delivery was slotted beyond Lopes on the volley by Jimmy Cabot to hand Lorient the lead, against the run of play.
Lyon took time to find their stride again after falling behind and once again found Lecomte a tough nut to crack as, not for the first time, he denied Fekir after Lyon's number 18 volleyed Mathieu Valbuena's free-kick goalwards.
Bruno Genesio surprsingly brought off Fekir on 73 minutes and his replacement, Maxwel Cornet, tested Lecomte soon after with a 20-yard effort that proved relatively straight-forward for the hosts' keeper.
That personal duel continued and Cornet should have levelled on 80 minutes when Valbuena's corner found the youngster just a few yards out but the indomitable Lecomte made his best save yet.
There were late opportunities at both ends as full-time approached but Lopes did well to deny Abdul Waris after he escaped the Lyon defence before Rachid Ghezzal's first-time effort from just outside the area missed the target by just a few centimetres.
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