Dolberg scores 2 as Nice beats Lyon in French league

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This article was published 02/02/2020 (2397 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

PARIS – Kasper Dolberg scored twice as Nice beat seven-time champion Lyon 2-1 on Sunday to move level on points with its French league rival.

Lyon’s first league defeat this year left both clubs on 32 points, far behind league leader Paris Saint Germain.

PSG tops the standings with 55 points, after thrashing Montpellier 5-0 on Saturday, and has a 12-point lead over Marseille which was again frustrated at Bordeaux.

Lyon was reduced to 10 men in the 24th minute following Fernando Marçal’s dismissal and struggled afterward. Its goalkeeper Ciprian Tatarusanu kept Lyon in the match with a series of good saves but could not block a shot from Pierre Lees-Melou in the 33rd, with Dolberg finding the net from the rebound.

Karl Toko-Ekambi levelled just before the interval against the run of play as Nice also lost a player when Adam Ounas received a second yellow card for shoving Marcelo in the 45th.

But the hosts kept dominating in the second half and were rewarded for their perseverance when Dolberg converted a cross from Hicham Boudaoui in the 63rd for his eighth league goal this season.

MARSEILLE HELD AGAIN

Looking for a first victory in Bordeaux in 42 years, second-place Marseille failed again in its bid to secure three points at its southwestern rival.

Bordeaux, which extended its unbeaten run at home against the nine-time champions to 35 matches, had the best chances and hit the crossbar in a mostly uninspiring encounter.

Marseille ‘keeper Steve Mandanda was decisive three minutes from time with a diving save to his left that denied Pablo’s goalbound header.

Also Sunday, Opa Nguette scored a brace as Metz beat Saint-Etienne 3-1 to claim a third straight league win.

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