Caen bag vital points at Lyon

Caen completed a double over Lyon, defeating their hosts 2-1 to help ease their relegation worries at the Stade Gerland. Goals from Romain Hamouma and Livio Nabab in either half secured the win despite Lisandro Lopez's late penalty for Lyon. Caen won the reverse fixture 1-0 back in September, but had won just twice in the league since then to leave them deep in the relegation picture. Today's success, however, pulled them three points clear of the bottom three. Lyon's European ambitions were dented, though, as they lost at home for just the second time in the league this season. The hosts had narrowly failed to take an early lead when Clement Grenier deflected Lopez's free-kick just over. Caen grabbed their opener on 14 minutes when Hamouma burst into space between Bakary Kone and Samuel Imitate and fired a shot across Hugo Lloris. The visitors were worth their advantage and Lloris had to make a smart save to keep out Pierre-Alain Frau after his run and shot. Lopez smashed a volley just wide after he flicked up a pass from Bafetimbi Gomis as Lyon went into the break a goal behind. They should have been level soon after the restart though when Gomis somehow missed the target with a header from six yards. Gomis made amends for that blunder when he made a vital block on the goal-line at the other end to keep out a Hamouma free-kick that looked destined for the top corner. Caen were 2-0 up on 74 minutes when Nabab ran onto a pass from Benjamin Nivet and looped a superb volley over Lloris from 30 yards. A stunned Lyon pulled a goal back four minutes from the end, with Lopez converting from the penalty spot after Alexandre Lacazette was brought down in the area by Aurelien Montaroup, but a comeback was beyond them.