Agency :
Ligue 1’s leading scorer Alexandre Lacazette grabbed a brace as Lyon beat struggling Caen 3-0 on Friday to make it eight consecutive home wins.
Lacazette’s early penalty set OL on their way and the France striker struck again just before the hour mark, with Yassine Benzia then making sure of the victory.
Hubert Fournier’s side have won eight of their last 10 Ligue 1 games and remain third in the table, although they are now only two points adrift of leaders Marseille, who go to Monaco on Sunday.
Caen had gone six matches without a win to sink into the relegation zone and their evening got off to a bad start as Jean-Jacques Pierre was harshly adjudged to have fouled Nabil Fekir inside the area in seven minutes.
Lacazette beat his old team-mate Remy Vercoutre from the spot to set Lyon on their way, although the second goal did not arrive until the 58th minute.
Samuel Umtiti headed down a corner for Lacazette to lash home his 15th goal of a fine campaign on the volley at the back post, and Benzia then drilled a low shot into the net from 16 yards four minutes later.
Only Vercoutre kept the score remotely respectable for Caen, as he saved another penalty, this time taken by Fekir, and then turned a Rachid Ghezzal free-kick onto a post in the latter stages.
As well as closing the gap on Marseille, Lyon are also now just one point behind reigning champions Paris Saint-Germain, who visit Guingamp on Sunday.
