Nabil Fekir scores as Lyon moves up to 2nd in French league

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Nabil Fekir scores as Lyon moves up to 2nd in French league

PARIS — Nabil Fekir’s 15th goal of the season helped Lyon move up to second place in the French league with a 2-0 win away to Guingamp on Wednesday.

Fekir pounced in the 26th minute with a low shot from Maxwell Cornet’s pass. The roaming forward’s previous best league tally was 13, three seasons ago, before his career was halted by a serious knee injury. He is now in the best form of his career and pushing to be included in France’s World Cup squad later this year.

Houssem Aouar, one of the rising stars in the French league, sealed the win in the 58th. The 19-year-old midfielder ran onto a pass over the top from defender Ferland Mendy and slotted the ball under goalkeeper Karl-Johan Johnsson.

Lyon moved one point ahead of Marseille and two clear of defending champion Monaco, which is in fourth.

But they are all way behind PSG — which was later playing Dijon at home — and it looks increasingly likely they will be fighting only for second place this season.

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OTHER MATCHES

Fifth-place Nantes drew 1-1 away to struggling Toulouse after conceding an equalizer five minutes into injury time.

Forward Max-Alain Gradel calmly converted the spot-kick, sending the goalkeeper the wrong way, to secure a vital point for 19th-place Toulouse.

Montpellier missed the chance to climb up to seventh after drawing 1-1 away to Amiens. Senegalese striker Moussa Konate equalized for Amiens midway through the second half.

Midfielder Benjamin Andre scored in the 89th minute as ninth-place Rennes grabbed two late goals to win 2-1 away to Lille.

Angers moved out of the relegation zone after defender Romain Thomas scored twice in a 3-1 home win against Troyes, which dropped into the bottom three.

Metz remains in last place but its strikers are finding some form. Emmanuel Riviere and Nolan Roux scored against their former side Saint-Etienne in a 3-0 home win.

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