Paris (AFP)

Lyon logically had the red lantern, Toulouse (3-0), to get closer to the podium in Ligue 1, Sunday during a 21st day marked by tributes, on the sidelines of Nantes-Bordeaux (0-1), to striker Emiliano Sala, who died tragically a little over a year ago.

Striker Karl Toko Ekambi, just arrived in the Lyon squad, probably did not imagine that his first minutes in the OL jersey would be due to the disturbing vagal malaise suffered by his teammate Martin Terrier.

But finally, while the news was reassuring about the state of health of the French, the former Villarreal player quickly forgot these circumstances to register, in his first match, a goal that would close the debate (3-0 , 77th minute), after the opening of the score by Maxwel Cornet (29th) and a realization signed Moussa Dembélé (71st).

"For me, it's a liberation. When we arrive in a new team, we dream of scoring this first goal and it happens today," rejoiced the former Angevin, very happy to be able to land while his new club is riding an excellent dynamic, illustrated by this series of eight undefeated matches in all competitions.

With 32 points and a correct 5th place in the standings, OL took full advantage of the draws of Rennes (1-1 in Nice on Friday), Marseille (0-0 against Angers on Saturday) and the defeat of Nantes to relaunch themselves in the race for the Champions League. Meanwhile, however, the Lille match (7th, 31 pts) in the evening against the leader, Paris SG.

In any case, the podium, whose third place is occupied by Rennes, is only five lengths from the players of Rudi Garcia.

- "Make a result" for Sala -

The podium, Nantes missed a great opportunity to get even closer. But, reduced to ten against Bordeaux at the end of the game, the Canaries finally gave in on a goal from Jimmy Briand (86th) and remained blocked at 32 units, doubled by OL at goal difference.

They probably weren't thinking about that, however. Because on January 26, the time was in memory, and tears for some. Argentinian striker Emiliano Sala, who died tragically at the age of 28 in the small tourist plane that led him to Cardiff where he had to sign, on January 21, 2019, received a vibrant tribute from Beaujoire, between magnificent tifo, tarpaulin in his effigy deployed on the lawn, special jerseys for the two teams - in which he played - and the traditional explosion of joy from the stands after nine minutes of play. Nine, like the number of Sala.

"He is still in our thoughts ... But life goes on. We wanted to make a result for him, and we did not succeed. But we showed strength of character", moved Abdoulaye Touré, the Nantes captain, at the microphone of beIN Sports. The Nantes will have the opportunity to catch up on Friday, with a major trip to Rennes.

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