Knowing their fate was likely to be sealed this evening barring a minor miracle, bottom-placed Clermont sat in the spot that their European-chasing opponents occupied as recently as December.
However, such has been the two sides’ contrasting fortunes since Lyon unsurprisingly carved out the game’s best opportunity when Rayan Cherki saw an effort crash back off the post.
That seemed to be the wake-up call Clermont needed, as they forged an opening of their own when Alan Virginius jinked his way towards goal only to see Anthony Lopes rebuff his effort.
Given the hosts’ predicament, a stroke of luck was perhaps needed to help pull off what felt like mission impossible. Instead, though, the footballing gods appeared to be against them as, on the stroke of half-time, Virginius twice went down under challenges in the area from Henrique and Clinton Mata, yet both appeals were waved away by referee Pierre Gaillouste.
That burning sense of injustice will have stung even more soon into the second half when Lyon took the lead to silence the Gabriel Montpied Stadium. While it would be unfair to suggest the goal had been coming, it was hardly against the run of play as Orel Mangala swept home Cherki’s cutback.
The bad luck continued to build for Clermont, who were denied another route back into the game. Having initially been awarded a penalty when Yohann Magnin hit the deck under a challenge from Maxence Caqueret, a swift check of the pitchside monitor saw Gaillouste overturn his initial decision.
One of the few bright sparks in an otherwise decidedly average season, Muhammed Cham did his level best to get Clermont back into the game. Lopes, though, had other ideas, producing a fine stop to preserve Les Gones’ advantage.
Considering 16th-placed Metz were 1-0 up with 10 minutes left on the clock, a result which would relegate the home outfit, there was nothing Clermont could do other than ensure they didn’t go down with a whimper.
Ultimately, they couldn’t prevent that happening, despite Metz’s late capitulation, as they slumped to back-to-back Ligue 1 defeats for the first time since early March.
The picture is much more positive for Lyon, though, and they will head into the final day of the campaign knowing their European quest is still very much alive.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Rayan Cherki (Lyon)
