Rennes (AFP)

Lyon won the honorary title of autumn champion of Ligue 1 thanks to two goals from Depay and Denayer in three minutes which allowed them to snatch a 2-2 draw on Saturday night in Rennes.

Yet not in their best day, the Lyonnais, undefeated since mid-September, have thus chained a 16th game without defeat.

This series took them from 14th place at the end of the summer transfer window to that of solid leader.

Rudi Garcia had announced it: his men wanted to be autumn champions, even sacred in the middle of winter and even if that does not guarantee anything for the future.

The last time the Lyonnais had turned in the lead at mid-season, in 2008-2009, they had finally finished 3rd behind Bordeaux (champion) and Marseille.

For Rennes, it's a 6th game without defeat but a real disappointment after a match controlled and led 2-0 until the last quarter of an hour.

Overtaken by Monaco, the Rennais come down to 5th place.

Timorous on Wednesday in Nantes (0-0), they had yet left to attack the Lyon camp with much more determination, quickly offering interesting combinations even if they struggled to approach Anthony Lopes' goal.

Haranged by the two coaches at the edge of the field, the two teams engaged in an animated battle in the middle of the field, around a combative Eduardo Camavinga and in clear regain of form.

The opening scoring came quickly, unlike the last two confrontations between the two teams, concluded with a goal scored at the very end of the match.

Served in depth, Jérémy Doku centered for Martin Terrier, exceptionally aligned at the tip, who put the heel back for Clément Grenier, ideally placed at the entrance to the surface (1-0, 20th).

A goal marked with the Lyon seal of these two former Gones.

- Depay scorer and passer -

The Lyon reaction forced goalkeeper Romain Salin to intervene against Houssem Aouar (22nd) and then saw his post push back the recovery of Karl Toko Ekambi on a free kick from Memphis Depay (24th).

But Garcia may well shout - "play, play" -, the Lyonnais seemed to lose their way, lacking solutions in the face of particularly restless Rennes.

It was even the Rouge et Noir who took the lead and created the best opportunities: a powerful strike from Steven Nzonzi (52nd) then another from Bourigeaud (53rd).

Following another acceleration from Doku, Grenier managed to serve Bourigeaud once again: Lopes repelled his first strike but could not do anything against the second (2-0, 55th).

The battle resumed in the middle of the field and the Lyonnais believed to reduce the score by a header from Jason Denayer on a cross from Depay.

But the video revealed that the bullet had hit his forearm (66th).

It was only a matter of patience as the Lyonnais converted their next two chances.

First on a withdrawal from Maxwel Cornet that Depay controlled with the chest to adjust Salin (2-1, 79th), then on a long cross from the same Depay for the head, this time clear, from Denayer (2- 2, 82nd).

The Rennais returned to the attack, with a header from Nayef Aguerd from a corner (85th) and a collective movement which forced Lopes to chain two parades (87th), but the score did not change.

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