Lyon make it 13 in a row to tighten grip on third

Olympique Lyonnais extended their remarkable winning streak to 13 matches in all competitions, defeating OGC Nice at the Groupama Stadium to consolidate third place and open up a five-point cushion over Marseille.

With Lens leading the way and Paris Saint-Germain sitting second, Paulo Fonseca’s side are now just six points off the summit. What once looked like a battle for the podium is quietly becoming something more ambitious.

Clinical when it mattered

Nice began brightly and were the more threatening side for long stretches of the first half. However, the early injury to Elye Wahi disrupted their rhythm, and the visitors ultimately paid for their lack of cutting edge.

Lyon, by contrast, showed the composure of a team brimming with confidence.

Just before the break, Corentin Tolisso capped a slick team move to give the hosts the lead. After Abner’s cross was flicked centrally by Pavel Šulc, Tolisso ghosted in at the back post to finish first time. It was Lyon’s first clear chance — and they made it count.

After the restart, Nice continued to probe, but the home side gradually asserted control through the midfield trio of Tanner Tessmann, Tyler Morton and Tolisso. The decisive second goal arrived just past the hour mark.

Šulc surged down the right and delivered a cut-back that deflected kindly into the path of Noah Nartey, who controlled smartly, evaded a challenge and fired left-footed beyond Maxime Dupé.

While the headlines belong to the scorers, Lyon’s defensive platform was equally decisive.

Moussa Niakhaté was dominant in the air and alert in recovery, repeatedly cutting out deliveries aimed at Gaëtan Laborde’s replacement. Lucas Perri was called upon on three occasions and responded confidently, particularly during a spell of Nice pressure before half-time. Fonseca remained measured post-match:

“Today was a very important day. I’m happy with the three points and with the way the group is working. It wasn’t easy, but we won in the end.”

Nice left to rue missed chances

Under Claude Puel, Nice have shown signs of recovery, but this defeat highlights their ongoing issues in front of goal. They enjoyed promising sequences, particularly through Sofiane Diop and Badredine Bouanani’s replacement Boudache, yet lacked precision in the decisive moments.

The Côte d’Azur side remain 14th, six points clear of the relegation play-off spot. Encouraging performance levels are there — results remain the challenge.

THE STAT:

Lyon have won their last 13 matches in all competitions, their second longest run after August-November 2006 (14). OL have won as many of their last seven Ligue 1 matches (W7) as they did in their first 15 this season (W7 D3 L5).