Endrick impresses as Lyon beat Lorient to end their nine-game losing run

[p]After previously looking on course to secure qualification for the UEFA Champions League (UCL), [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/lyon/2akflumR/"]Lyon[/a]’s wretched form had seen them drop down to seventh prior to kick-off. The visit of [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/lorient/jgNAYRGi/"]Lorient[/a] proved to be a tough test too, considering that they had lost just two of their previous 17 league games.[/p][p]All in all, the first half was a tense affair, with neither side exerting any sustained pressure on the opposing goal.[/p][p]The hosts had the first chance, as [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/yaremchuk-roman/vuhK9J78/"]Roman Yaremchuk[/a] headed over the crossbar, before [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/moreira-afonso/OQmjjuCG/"]Afonso Moreira[/a] drew an easy save from [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/mvogo-yvon/fkOg2Gqj/"]Yvon Mvogo[/a]. [/p][p]Lorient, though, slowly grew into the game, and after [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/greif-dominik/ID9k7lap/"]Dominik Greif[/a] had held onto [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/makengo-jean-victor/KShf9Z3h/"]Jean-Victor Makengo[/a]’s shot, Les Merlus had the opening period’s best chance as half-time beckoned. Found unmarked by [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/cadiou-noha/nXyH2cus/"]Noah Cadiou[/a]’s cross, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/dieng-bamba-cheikh-dieng/ba2ejA41/"]Bamba Dieng[/a] had the goal at his mercy, but Greif produced a stunning stop to deny him before getting down well to gather [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/avom-arthur/hMJmRmWR/"]Arthur Avom[/a]’s shot on the rebound.[/p][p][b]At the interval, Lyon head coach Paulo Fonseca made a trio of changes, bringing on [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/mangala-orel/EisQ8ABn/"]Orel Mangala[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/endrick/bXHrpEJ4/"]Endrick[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/tolisso-corentin/hQOIoFOs/"]Corentin Tolisso[/a], which paid dividends almost immediately. Within three minutes of the restart, Les Gones took the lead through Yaremchuk’s first goal in Ligue 1 as he headed Endrick’s cross into the bottom corner. [/b][/p][p][b]The Brazilian was influential in the second goal too, driving into the box and forcing a save out of Mvogo before the ball fell for Tolisso to nod into the back of the net.[/b][/p][embed guid="dede9fb7-708a-4253-9f75-155163c74245" url="https://x.com/OL/status/2043424778334208423" social-type="twitter" /][p]Lorient tried to respond, with Dieng firing wide when one-on-one with Greif, before they saw an awarded penalty chalked off by VAR; Moreira had tripped Dieng in the area, but was first fouled himself by [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/katseris-panos/MeGXOwdr/"]Panos Katseris[/a].[/p][p]Avom was next to go close as Greif tipped his low drive behind for a corner, yet Lorient were ultimately unable to find a way back into the game.[/p][p]In the end, Lyon held on for all three points as they move back to within two points of [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/lille/pfDZL71o/"]Lille[/a] in third, with five games left in their attempts to secure a first UCL campaign since 2019/20, when they reached the semi-finals.[/p][p]Meanwhile, even a win for Lorient would have only kept them in with a slim chance of securing a European spot next term - this result effectively ends those hopes.[/p][p][b]Flashscore Man of the Match: [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/endrick/bXHrpEJ4/"]Endrick[/a] ([a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/lyon/2akflumR/"]Lyon[/a])[/b][/p][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/lorient-jgNAYRGi/lyon-2akflumR/summary/stats/?mid=QmsFymXi"]Catch up on the match stats here.[/a][/b][/p][embed guid="73e63adb-de0e-40e1-bdce-0a54498e5203" url="https://x.com/Ligue1_ENG/status/2043431613871149332" social-type="twitter" /]