Lyon book Champions League spot
AFP
AFP, PARIS: French international Alexandre Lacazette hit a hat-trick as Lyon sealed a place in next seasons Champions League by thrashing 10-man Monaco 6-1 at Parc OL on Saturday.
Second-placed Lyon went into the game ahead of Monaco in the Ligue 1 table on goal difference, and they pulled clear quickly with goals from Rachid Ghezzal and Lacazette inside the first eight minutes.
Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa headed in a third after visiting striker Lacina Traore was sent off, and Lacazette dinked in before Ricardo Carvalho pulled one back before half-time.
Centre-back Yanga-Mbiwa piled yet more misery onto Monaco just before the hour mark before Lacazette completed a hat-trick.
Lyon are all but assured of a place in the Champions League group stages, and of being runners-up behind Paris Saint-Germain for the second straight season, thanks to their far superior goal difference to Monaco with just a game to go.
The principality side though will be looking nervously over their shoulders as they look to hang onto the third and final spot in Europes premier competition, after Nice beat the nine men of Saint-Etienne 2-0 to close the gap on the top three to just two points ahead of the final day of the season next Saturday.
Since ending PSGs record unbeaten run in February, Lyon have not lost themselves, with Saturdays victory their eighth in 10 outings.
It was like a dream. It goes beyond what we expected, Lyon coach Bruno Genesio said.
