YON (France), Jan 22: Striker Moussa Dembele’s first-half penalty secured a 1-0 win for Lyon against bitter rival Saint-Etienne in their French league match Friday.
Dembele, who also scored the winner from the spot last week at Troyes, sent Saint-Etienne goalkeeper Paul Bernardoni the wrong way in the 15th minute for his sixth league goal this season after he was fouled in the box by Timothee Kolodziejczak.
Saint-Etienne and Lyon are only 60 kilometers (37 miles) apart and their rivalry is one of the fiercest in French football. Saint-Etienne dominated the league during the 1960s and ’70s and won a record 10 league titles while Lyon has the most consecutive French league crowns, seven from 2002-08.
This season, both sides have been disappointing.
Lyon expected to fight for a top-three finish but has been largely inconsistent under coach Peter Bosz to lag 19 points behind leader Paris Saint-Germain.
Lyon dominated proceedings after Dembele’s goal but lacked efficiency in the final third as Saint-Etienne struggled to create chances. (AP)
