Lyon edge past Brest in tense finish to climb into fourth

Olympique Lyonnais continued their strong start to 2026 by edging a stubborn Brest side 2-1 at the Groupama Stadium on Sunday night, a result that lifts Olympique Lyonnais up to fourth place in Ligue 1.

Despite playing more than 70 minutes with a numerical advantage, Paulo Fonseca’s side were forced to survive a late Brest surge before securing all three points against Stade Brestois 29, who finished strongly and came within centimetres of snatching a dramatic equaliser.

Lyon take control before the break

Lyon set the tone early, pressing high and dominating possession, with Endrick lively in his first home league start. Brest’s resistance was dealt a major blow in the 19th minute when Romain Del Castillo was sent off following a VAR review for a dangerous challenge on Nicolás Tagliafico.

The breakthrough arrived in the 41st minute, and it was worth the wait. Pavel Šulc collected the ball on the right, beat two defenders with sharp footwork and curled a magnificent finish into the far top corner, igniting the Groupama Stadium.

Lyon doubled their advantage just before half-time in spectacular fashion. After a flowing move involving Endrick and Afonso Moreira, the ball fell to Abner Vinícius outside the box. The Brazilian unleashed a thunderous left-footed strike that flew into the top corner, giving the hosts a deserved 2-0 lead at the interval.

Brest refuse to fold

Comfortably ahead and in control of possession, Lyon thought they had put the game to bed shortly after the hour mark when Šulc turned home from close range. However, the goal was ruled out for offside following another VAR intervention.

That reprieve gave Brest renewed belief. Eric Roy’s side began to push higher up the pitch, and Lyon gradually lost their grip on proceedings as fatigue crept in.

The visitors were rewarded in the 87th minute when a long free-kick caused panic in the Lyon box. The loose ball dropped kindly for Jonathan Dina Ebimbe, who smashed home from close range to set up a tense finale.

Deep into stoppage time, Brest came agonisingly close to a remarkable equaliser. Kamory Doumbia’s precise delivery found Dina Ebimbe once more, but his header flashed just wide of Lucas Perri’s post, with Lyon breathing a huge sigh of relief at the final whistle.

Lyon keep momentum

While the performance was far from flawless, Lyon once again demonstrated resilience, extending their winning run in all competitions and capitalising on dropped points elsewhere to move into the Champions League places.

Brest, now 10th, leave Lyon with encouragement despite defeat, having shown character and ambition even when reduced to ten men for the majority of the contest.

For Fonseca’s side, the result keeps momentum firmly on their side ahead of a crucial Europa League trip to Young Boys later this week — but the nervy ending served as a reminder that control must be matched with ruthlessness at the top end of the table.

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