Lyon close on Champions League place

Lyon took a big step towards Champions League qualification for next season by beating Monaco 3-0 on Wednesday.

Goals either side of half-time from Miralem Pjanic and Bafetimbi Gomis and a late strike by Lisandro Lopez secured a comfortable victory for Claude Puel’s side over the beaten French Cup finalists.

Lyon, who lost to Bayern Munich in the semi-finals of this season’s Champions League, are now third in the table, a point behind second-placed Lille and a point above Auxerre.

With the top three qualifying for the Champions League, Lyon can make sure of a place in Europe’s top club competition with victory at home to already-relegated Le Mans on the season’s final day on Saturday.

Lyon dominated throughout at a rain-soaked Stade Gerland, with newly elected Ligue 1 Player of the Year Lisandro glancing a header wide before Pjanic fired them in front in the 28th minute.

A deep corner from the right was headed down by Cris and Pjanic steadied himself before lashing a half-volley past Stephane Ruffier via a slight deflection off team-mate Jeremy Toulalan.

Michel Bastos, named in Brazil’s provisional World Cup squad on Tuesday, struck a post from wide on the right in first-half injury time before Gomis made it 2-0 with a close-range finish in the 48th minute.

The margin of victory would have been even wider had Ruffier not produced three superb saves to deny Gomis, Bastos and Lisandro, who gained his revenge with Lyon’s third three minutes from the end.