Lyon’s Champions League aspirations received a boost with a 2-0 victory over Nice on Sunday, as coach Paulo Fonseca observed from the stands.
The Portuguese tactician, beginning his nine-month touchline suspension following a heated exchange with referee Benoît Millot last weekend, saw his team endure a challenging first half.
Nice forward Gaëtan Laborde came closest to scoring, striking the post in heavy rain.
However, Lyon capitalized in the latter stages of the match. Midfielder Rayan Cherki made an instant impact, scoring just one minute after coming off the bench. The 21-year-old, long touted for a move to a top European club, netted his sixth league goal — a personal best — after receiving a well-timed pass from Brazilian playmaker Thiago Almada in the 78th minute.
Almada was involved again five minutes later, setting up Ghanaian forward Ernest Nuamah with a sharp first-time pass.
Nuamah, another second-half substitute, curled a superb shot into the top left corner to seal Lyon’s win.
With this victory, Lyon sits in sixth place, just two points adrift of Lille and Monaco, who are level on points in fourth and fifth.
Meanwhile, third-placed Nice holds a slim four-point advantage over Lyon, with the top four teams securing a spot in next season’s Champions League.
Rosenior’s Impact at Strasbourg
Elsewhere, Liam Rosenior’s debut campaign as Strasbourg’s manager continues to impress.
His side strengthened their grip on seventh place with a 1-0 away win against Nantes.
The 40-year-old English coach, whose father made his name as a powerful striker in the 1980s, previously played in the Premier League for Fulham, Reading, and Hull before transitioning into management.
His coaching journey began with a brief spell at Derby County, followed by a tenure at Hull, where he was nominated for Championship Manager of the Year last season.
Under Rosenior, Strasbourg has become a disciplined and counterattacking force.
Their decisive goal arrived in the 79th minute, courtesy of Félix Lemaréchal, who finished off a well-delivered cross from the lively right winger Dilane Bakwa.
Relegation Battle Heats Up
At the bottom of the table, struggling sides Le Havre and Saint-Etienne played to a 1-1 draw, leaving both in deep relegation trouble.
Lucas Stassin put Saint-Etienne ahead in the 10th minute after a goalmouth scramble, but Abdoulaye Touré equalized for Le Havre in first-half stoppage time.
