PARIS // Lyon’s alarming slump in form continued on Saturday as they lost 3-1 at home to Guingamp despite leading scorer Alexandre Lacazette putting them in front at their Parc OL.
Lacazette opened the scoring with his seventh league goal of the campaign from the penalty spot but Guingamp turned the game on its head with two goals in the first seven minutes of the second period from Yannis Salibur and Marcus Coco.
Coco added another to complete the turnaround and condemn Lyon to a fifth defeat in their last six games in all competitions.
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Remarkably, it was the first time in 35 years that they had lost a league game at home after leading at half time.
It was also a fifth loss in 10 Ligue 1 outings for Bruno Genesio's side, who remain 10 points adrift of leaders Nice before they go to Metz on Sunday. Guingamp are fifth.
Such a poor start to the campaign for Lyon had not been contemplated after their outstanding run towards the end of last season, and the pressure is now very much on Genesio.
“It’s a big blow and hugely disappointing because we’ve lost at home for the second time this season,” Genesio said.
“We put in two completely different displays, a first half that was fairly good, and another where we totally lost our way. That’s typical of a team in a difficult situation and one that doubts itself.”
Lyon took the lead in the 37th minute when Lacazette, who missed a penalty in the 1-0 midweek Uefa Champions League loss to Juventus, netted from the spot after Maxime Gonalons had been fouled in the area.
It was a first league goal since August for Lacazette.
However, Lyon contributed to their own downfall with some awful defending in the second half.
Guingamp equalised when Jimmy Briand robbed youngster Mouctar Diakhaby in the area and set up Salibur, who fired home.
The Breton side were in front in the 52nd minute as Lyon cheaply gave the ball away in their own half and Briand was again the provider, squaring for Coco, who had an easy finish.
Lyon were denied a penalty when Lacazette went down in the box under a Jordan Ikoko challenge, and substitute Mathieu Valbuena was carried off in tears after falling awkwardly only minutes after coming on.
Club president Jean-Michel Aulas later told Canal Plus Sport that Valbuena, capped 52 times by France, had a dislocated shoulder and would require an operation.
The home side’s misery was compounded as Guingamp struck again in the 77th minute, France Under 21 international winger Coco dispossessing Rafael before running through to blast a shot past Anthony Lopes.
The final whistle was met by loud jeers from the Lyon support.
AS Monaco went second after destroying Montpellier 6-2 on Friday, with Radamel Falcao getting the principality club’s first goal from the penalty spot on his return after a month on the sidelines.
Paris Saint-Germain, in third, entertain Marseille in the classique on Sunday in what will be Rudi Garcia's first match as manager of the visitors.
Toulouse missed a chance to leapfrog the champions after they were held to a 0-0 draw at Angers, while Poland international Kamil Grosicki scored twice as Rennes defeated Nantes 2-1.
Elsewhere, Portugal’s Euro 2016 hero Eder netted Lille’s second goal in a 2-1 victory over Bastia, Bordeaux were held to a 1-1 draw at home to Nancy and Dijon grabbed a stoppage-time winner to beat Lorient 1-0.
RESULTS
Friday
• Monaco 6 Montpellier 2
Saturday
• Lyon 1 Guingamp 3
• Bordeaux 1 Nancy 1
• Lille 2 Bastia 1
• Angers 0 Toulouse 0
• Dijon 1 Lorient 0
• Nantes 1 Rennes 2
FIXTURES
Sunday (all times UAE)
• Caen v Saint-Etienne, 5pm
• Metz v Nice, 7pm
• Paris Saint-Germain v Marseille, 10.45pm
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The biog
Favourite food: Tabbouleh, greek salad and sushi
Favourite TV show: That 70s Show
Favourite animal: Ferrets, they are smart, sensitive, playful and loving
Favourite holiday destination: Seychelles, my resolution for 2020 is to visit as many spiritual retreats and animal shelters across the world as I can
Name of first pet: Eddy, a Persian cat that showed up at our home
Favourite dog breed: I love them all - if I had to pick Yorkshire terrier for small dogs and St Bernard's for big
Abaya trends
The utilitarian robe held dear by Arab women is undergoing a change that reveals it as an elegant and graceful garment available in a range of colours and fabrics, while retaining its traditional appeal.
A State of Passion
Directors: Carol Mansour and Muna Khalidi
Stars: Dr Ghassan Abu-Sittah
Rating: 4/5
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Analysis
Members of Syria's Alawite minority community face threat in their heartland after one of the deadliest days in country’s recent history. Read more
THE SPECS
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The specs
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How to play the stock market recovery in 2021?
If you are looking to build your long-term wealth in 2021 and beyond, the stock market is still the best place to do it as equities powered on despite the pandemic.
Investing in individual stocks is not for everyone and most private investors should stick to mutual funds and ETFs, but there are some thrilling opportunities for those who understand the risks.
Peter Garnry, head of equity strategy at Saxo Bank, says the 20 best-performing US and European stocks have delivered an average return year-to-date of 148 per cent, measured in local currency terms.
Online marketplace Etsy was the best performer with a return of 330.6 per cent, followed by communications software company Sinch (315.4 per cent), online supermarket HelloFresh (232.8 per cent) and fuel cells specialist NEL (191.7 per cent).
Mr Garnry says digital companies benefited from the lockdown, while green energy firms flew as efforts to combat climate change were ramped up, helped in part by the European Union’s green deal.
Electric car company Tesla would be on the list if it had been part of the S&P 500 Index, but it only joined on December 21. “Tesla has become one of the most valuable companies in the world this year as demand for electric vehicles has grown dramatically,” Mr Garnry says.
By contrast, the 20 worst-performing European stocks fell 54 per cent on average, with European banks hit by the economic fallout from the pandemic, while cruise liners and airline stocks suffered due to travel restrictions.
As demand for energy fell, the oil and gas industry had a tough year, too.
Mr Garnry says the biggest story this year was the “absolute crunch” in so-called value stocks, companies that trade at low valuations compared to their earnings and growth potential.
He says they are “heavily tilted towards financials, miners, energy, utilities and industrials, which have all been hit hard by the Covid-19 pandemic”. “The last year saw these cheap stocks become cheaper and expensive stocks have become more expensive.”
This has triggered excited talk about the “great value rotation” but Mr Garnry remains sceptical. “We need to see a breakout of interest rates combined with higher inflation before we join the crowd.”
Always remember that past performance is not a guarantee of future returns. Last year’s winners often turn out to be this year’s losers, and vice-versa.
2025 Fifa Club World Cup groups
Group A: Palmeiras, Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami.
Group B: Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle.
Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica.
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Group G: Manchester City, Wydad, Al Ain, Juventus.
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Bombshell
Director: Jay Roach
Stars: Nicole Kidman, Charlize Theron, Margot Robbie
Four out of five stars
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Honeymoonish
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The Sky Is Pink
Director: Shonali Bose
Cast: Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Farhan Akhtar, Zaira Wasim, Rohit Saraf
Three stars
