TNT Sports
Lyon rout Metz
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Published 22/10/2005 at 19:58 GMT+1
Olympique Lyon's flying start to the season continued with a 4-0 away rout of bottom-of-the-table Metz on Saturday. The four-times champions, unbeaten after 12 matches in Ligue 1, have 30 points and lead second-placed Paris St Germain by seven points.
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Ivory Coast forward Bonaventure Kalou ended promoted Nancy's winning streak when he struck after 53 minutes to give the Parisians a 1-0 home win.
Nancy had won their four previous league games.
Girondins Bordeaux are now eight points off the pace after they were held to a 1-1 draw at Toulouse.
The home side opened the scoring courtesy of a Daniel Moreira goal shortly before halftime but Pablo Francia's free kick levelled it up after 58 minutes.
Lille added to Nantes' woes with a 2-0 win over the Canaries and moved up to fourth in the standings.
Jean Makoun's header and Matt Moussilou's late goal were enough for the northerners against a poor Nantes side, who are hovering two points above the relegation zone.
Metz, on four points, have not won a game this season and went behind to Lyon after 23 minutes when Norway striker John Carew outpaced the defence and fired into the top left corner of Gregory Wimbee's net.
Brazilian midfielder Juninho latched on to a Jeremie Berthod cross 13 minutes later to make it 2-0 and France winger Sylvain Wiltord added a powerful header before the break.
Six minutes into the second half, French international Florent Malouda rubbed salt into the Metz wounds when he netted a fourth from close range.
"My thoughts go to Metz, who are traumatised and look anxious. This made our task a lot easier," Lyon coach Gerard Houllier told reporters.
"I expected some loosening after the Olympiakos Piraeus game but it did not happen. There was a lot of talent and professionalism in the team."
Lyon won their third match in three Champions League outings when they beat Olympiakos 2-1 on Wednesday.
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