Lyon maintain unbeaten start as Lloris watches on

PARIS (AFP) –

Lyon’s French midfielder Clement Grenier scores a goal during their French L1 football match against Valenciennes at the Gerland Stadium in Lyon. Olympique Lyonnais kept their unbeaten start to the new Ligue 1 campaign going as they came from behind to record a 3-2 home win against Valenciennes.

Olympique Lyonnais kept their unbeaten start to the new Ligue 1 campaign going as they came from behind to record a 3-2 home win against Valenciennes on Saturday afternoon.

Lyon lost France goalkeeper Hugo Lloris to Tottenham Hotspur on Friday night and the 25-year-old was at the Stade de Gerland to wave goodbye after a four-year spell in which he has emerged as one of the finest goalkeepers on the continent.

Following his departure, it has fallen to long-time back-up Remy Vercoutre to take over between the posts.

Vercoutre had made just 40 top-flight appearances in a decade at Lyon before starting against a Valenciennes side who had enjoyed a quietly impressive start to the campaign.

And Vercoutre was badly exposed as Valenciennes silenced the crowd by taking the lead inside 11 minutes when he hesitated at a corner, allowing Brazilian defender Gil to head home.

Valenciennes had not conceded a goal yet this season coming into the game, and things looked bleak at that point for a Lyon side shorn of the injured Yoann Gourcuff and Lisandro Lopez as well as Lloris.

But they hit back quickly and found themselves in front by the midway point in the first half.

First, Michel Bastos pounced on a goalkeeping error from Nicolas Penneteau to roll in the equaliser from a tight angle, and then France striker Bafetimbi Gomis netted from the spot after Alexandre Lacazette had been brought down inside the box.

A stunning long-range strike from young playmaker Clement Grenier, who Lyon tried to offload to Nice last month, allowed the hosts to extend their lead midway through the second half.

Gregory Pujol pulled another one back towards the end, but Lyon held on for a 3-2 win that leaves them with 10 points from four games.

“We are enjoying a good start to the season. Our objective was to get to eight points after four games and we have gone beyond that,” said Lyon coach Remi Garde.

“There was a lot of emotion before the game what with losing Hugo after the season had already started. It was difficult for him, for the other players and particularly for Remy Vercoutre, who I know will do well for us.

“We all really liked Hugo and he gave us so much.”

There are six games later on Saturday, with champions Montpellier travelling to Sochaux still looking for their first win of the season.

Marseille can continue their perfect start to the campaign if they beat Rennes at the Stade Velodrome on Sunday, before Lille and Paris Saint-Germain meet in the game of the weekend at the northern club’s new Grand Stade.