After building confidence in the Coupe de France, Lyon continued their momentum in Ligue 1 by claiming a 2–1 victory over Brest at the Groupama Stadium on Sunday night.
Goals from Pavel Šulc and Abner gave Les Gones control, while a late Brest strike ensured a tense finish.
The opening exchanges were finely balanced. Lyon dominated possession as expected on home soil, but Brest remained dangerous and well-organised.
The match’s complexion changed dramatically in the 20th minute when Romain Del Castillo was shown a straight red card for a late challenge from behind on Nicolás Tagliafico.
After a lengthy VAR review, the decision was upheld, leaving the visitors with ten men.
With the numerical advantage, Lyon dictated proceedings but initially struggled to break down Brest’s compact defensive shape.
Éric Roy’s side sat deep and looked to frustrate their hosts, relying on counter-attacks to relieve pressure. Lyon’s patience was finally rewarded midway through the half.
Pavel Šulc broke the deadlock with a moment of individual brilliance. A swift move from the back saw Afonso Moreira release the Czech midfielder, who glided past his marker and rounded the goalkeeper before squeezing the ball home from a tight angle.
Lyon doubled their lead just before the interval to capitalise on their dominance. Endrick showed excellent vision to pick out Abner, and the Brazilian defender unleashed a fierce long-range strike that flew into the top corner, giving the hosts a comfortable cushion at half-time.
Despite trailing and playing with ten men, Brest emerged from the break with renewed intent. Their best chance fell to Ludovic Ajorque, who controlled well in the box but dragged his close-range effort wide.
Šulc thought he had sealed the contest with his second goal of the night, only for VAR to intervene once more, ruling out the effort after Tanner Tessmann was judged offside in the build-up.
That decision gave Brest belief, and they eventually found a route back into the match.
Eric Junior Dina Embimbe pulled one back following a set-piece, reacting quickest at the far post to turn the ball home via a deflection after Lyon failed to clear their lines.
The Cameroonian midfielder nearly completed a dramatic comeback in stoppage time, but his diving header drifted wide.
Lyon endured a nervy finale but held firm to secure all three points and extend their positive run of form.
