Reims (AFP)

Lyon lost two precious points in the race for the title of champion of France by conceding a draw (1-1) in Reims, with an equalizer torn in added time, Friday at the opening of the 29th day of Ligue 1.

Draft in the first period but dominant in the second, OL in turn lacked ideas and then efficiency against an impassable goalkeeper from Reims.

Predrag Rajkovic in particular disgusted the Lyonnais with three superb parades (49th, 50th, 81st).

Finally, in added time, Tino Kadewere managed to snatch a well-deserved equalizer from his head (90th + 2) to respond to the opening scoring of Mathieu Cafaro (33rd).

Even though the Gones extended their away unbeaten streak to 13 games (8 wins, 5 draws), they let slip two crucial points in the title fight against a mid-table team. .

With 60 points, they come back to Paris SG, which receives Nantes on Sunday, but remain two lengths behind the leader, Lille, who moves to the fourth, Monaco (55 pts).

In addition, Lyon will receive PSG on the next day.

Before the meeting, the players of the Stade de Reims (11th, 35 pts) paid tribute to Christian Lantenois, the photographer for the daily L'Union recently attacked and still in critical condition.

They first wore a t-shirt with his photo during the warm-up, before going to drop a club jersey flocked to his first name with the N.51 near the location where he usually settles to cover the meetings of the Champagne club.

From the start of the match, Lyon, laid out in 4-3-3 with an attacking line made up of Memphis Depay, Karl Toko Ekambi and Rayan Cherki, confiscated the ball, but had great difficulty endangering the solid block rémois.

Thus, Houssem Aouar did not find the frame (11th), then the left side Mattia De Sciglio stumbled on Rajkovic (15th).

Dominated, the Champenois however took advantage of the slightest situation to approach Anthony Lopes' goal, like a shot from Valon Berisha (15th) or a shot from Boulaye Dia repelled by the Rhone goalkeeper ( 21st).

The third opportunity was then the right one: on a cross from Thomas Foket, Cafaro placed an unstoppable half-volley under Lopes' goal (1-0, 33rd).

- Rajkovic intractable -

Unhappy with the performance of his team, Rudi Garcia made three changes after returning from the locker room, one in each row, with the exits of Cherki, Aouar and De Sciglio.

The entries of Maxwell Cornet, Maxence Caqueret and Kadewere had the effect of tipping OL to 4-2-3-1.

Quickly, Lyon cornered Reims in front of its surface and wasted no time in being dangerous, but fell on a very inspired opposing goalkeeper.

Rajkovic first deflected superbly with his left hand an attempt at close range from Depay (49th), before pushing back a powerful strike from Toko Ekambi (50th).

The Serbian goalkeeper from Reims still saved his team by deflecting a shot from Cornet (82nd) ​​with the tip of his gloves.

And when he was beaten, Caqueret's shot fled the frame (84th).

In the meantime, midfielder Marshall Munetsi had almost widened the gap after a superb rush punctuated by a strike rejected by Lopes on Nathanaël Mbuku, who sent his recovery over (58th).

At the end of the match, a pivot shot from Depay grazed the right amount of Reims (87th), before Kadewere offered an almost unexpected point to his family by taking a head from a center of the Dutch (1-1, 90th + 2).

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