PSG on verge of Ligue 1 title after Lyon slump to Caen’s Benezet
Paris St Germain are almost certain to retain their Ligue 1 title after second-placed Lyon’s 3-0 loss at Caen on Saturday left them six points behind with two games left.
PSG, who demolished Guingamp 6-0 on Friday, have 77 points and a better goal difference (+45 to +38) than Lyon, who were physically overwhelmed by struggling Caen.
The home side’s Nicolas Benezet scored twice in four minutes before the break and Sloan Privat rounded off a comfortable win five minutes from time.
Laurent Blanc’s PSG, who need a point to guarantee a third straight title, travel to Montpellier and host Stade de Reims while Lyon welcome Girondins de Bordeaux and visit Stade Rennes in the last two rounds of matches.
“We deserve nothing, tonight we were devoured by Caen,” Lyon midfielder Steed Malbranque told Canal Plus. “We started too timidly. For the title, it’s over, now we have to focus on retaining that second place,” he added with his side six points ahead of Monaco, who play on Sunday.
The hosts were denied a possible penalty in the 27th minute when Lenny Rangis was brought down by Samuel Umtiti but the referee, Nicolas Rainville, waved play on.
Caen’s goalkeeper, Rémy Vercoutre, made a superb save to keep out Damien da Silva’s header from close range on the half hour.
Benezet then opened the scoring four minutes before the break when the Lyon goalkeeper, Anthony Lopes, bungled the midfielder’s long-range cross into the net.
Benezet doubled his tally on the stroke of half-time with a rising shot from inside the box.
Vercoutre continued to shine in goal after the interval, saving from Nabil Fekir in the 72nd minute and Mohamed Yattara three minutes later after the forward had been set up by Alexandre Lacazette’s brilliant through pass.
Privat tapped in the third after he connected with Thomas Lemar’s cross at the end of a counterattack.
Hervé Bazile could have added a fourth for Caen but his angled shot was saved by Lopes in the closing stages.