Lyon have climbed up to fourth with their third win in five matches in Ligue 1 after claiming a comfortable 3-0 win over Toulouse at Stade de Garde.
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Both sides made lively starts to the match, with Tongo Doumbia almost opening the scoring inside the first 10 minutes when he tried to head in from an Oscar Trejo cross, before Mathieu Valbuena fired wide down the other end less than a minute later.
Lyon started to dominate, with Claudio Beauvue slicing the ball just wide while attempting to slot into the bottom left corner, before heading wide from a corner a few minutes later.
The hosts broke the deadlock less than 20 minutes into the match as Valbuena slotted the ball through to Sergi Darder, leaving the midfielder to rifle the ball in from the centre of the box.
Darder almost added a second on the half-hour mark as Alexandre Lacazette floated the ball into the box, setting the goalscorer up for a half-volley at the near post, but his finish struck the upright.
Lyon continued to look the more likely as half time approached, but Ali Ahamada did enough to keep the visitors in the match at the break, saving efforts from Valbuena and Lacazette in the final five minutes of the first half.
The visitors showed more intent as they tried to find an equaliser at the start of the second half, but Somalia was denied by a double save from Anthony Lopes as he tried to smash the ball in from close range.
Despite Toulouse's increased intensity, it was Lyon who found the second goal of the night with just over 20 minutes remaining as Beauvue played the ball through for Valbuena, who struck it first time from around 20 yards out to double the home side's advantage.
Lyon started to control the match again, with Darder firing the ball just wide from the edge of the box, while Corentin Tolisso and Jordan Ferri also had chances to extend the hosts' advantage.
Adrien Regattin had a chance to get a goal back for Toulouse in the final moments, rifling the ball towards the Lyon goal from a free kick after being tripped by Maxime Gonalons.
Lyon rubber stamped the victory in stoppage time though as Maxwell Cornet scored his first Ligue 1 goal, squeezing in between two defenders before chipping the ball over the keeper from the edge of the box.
Sian Cowper
