ALEXANDRE LACAZETTE’S late goal handed Laurent Blanc his first victory as Lyon coach on Saturday as his new club beat Montpellier 2-1 to end a six-match winless run in Ligue 1.

The former France and Paris Saint-Germain boss took charge earlier this month after Dutchman Peter Bosz was sacked following a dismal start to the season.

Houssem Aouar, who was little used under Bosz this term, put Lyon ahead on 33 minutes with his first goal of the season in Montpellier.

Elye Wahi’s superb overhead kick brought the hosts level on 70 minutes before both teams were reduced to 10 men when a clash between Stephy Mavididi and Sinaly Diomande resulted in a pair of red cards.

Lacazette had the final say as he struck the winner in the 90th minute to halt Lyon’s wretched series of results.

Lyon had lost 3-2 at Rennes in Blanc’s first game at the helm last weekend.

Marseille, who have slipped from second in the table to fourth after back-to-back defeats in the last fortnight, host third-placed Lens later on Saturday.

Surprise package Lorient, who sit second, visit Troyes on Sunday. They are six points behind PSG after Kylian Mbappe scored twice and set up Lionel Messi for the other goal in Friday’s 3-0 win at Ajaccio.

In Serie A, Brahim Diaz scored twice as AC Milan beat Monza 4-1 on Saturday to go above Atalanta to second in Serie A.

Diaz, 23, on loan from Real Madrid until the end of the season, doubled his goal tally for the season with first half efforts before Belgium’s Divock Origi and Portugal’s Rafael Leao contributed after the break to send the champions behind leaders Napoli on points difference.

Atalanta host Lazio on Sunday before Luciano Spalletti returns to Roma with Napoli

Diaz opened the scoring in San Siro after 16 minutes after a long-range run was finished with a sliding effort.

The former Manchester City playmaker claimed his second after receiving an Origi pass and smoothly finishing home four minutes before the break.

Origi was on the scoresheet for the first time the league this season after 65 minutes as he fired his effort into the top corner.

Last season’s Serie B play-off winners Monza, owned by former Milan president Sivlio Berlusconi, claimed one back five minutes later as Filippo Ranocchia scored a superb free-kick for the outfit based to the north of the city.

The three points were confirmed with six minutes left as Leao, who looks set to go the World Cup with his country, added his fifth goal of the season.

Earlier, former France international Franck Ribery bid a tearful farewell to football as he took a lap of honour ahead of Salernitana’s 1-0 win at home to Spezia.

The 39-year-old announced his retirement on Friday after succumbing to a persistent knee injury which had kept him out of action since the opening weekend of the season.

Later, Lautaro Martinez followed in Diaz’ footsteps by also scoring twice as Inter Milan edged Fiorentina 4-3 to go above Juventus to seventh spot.

Argentina’s Martinez score after quarter of an hour before converting from the spot with 17 minutes left in Florence.

The winner came in the 94th minute as Armenia midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan opened his account for the season after substitute Lorenzo Venuti made a mess of his attempted clearance inside his own box.

On Friday, struggling Juve beat Empoli 4-0 ahead of their Champions League clash at Benfica next week which could seal their elimination from Europe’s top club competition.

– © AFP 2022