In the advanced match of the 15th day, Lyon won 3-0 on the lawn of Montpellier. An advantage to the score that reflects OL's mastery over this match, against a team of Hérault who did not have the arguments to face. A result that has some consequences for the rest of the season.

A striking contrast to Grammont in a match that saw two teams compete in different dynamics. On the one side OL which showed some of the collective qualities that we should find at the end of March in the Champions League and a Montpellier squad orphan of its top scorer, Sofia Jakobsson.

Yet it was known, Montpellier was not a favorite in this meeting. The last victory of Montpellier against OL in the league is more than a decade, and in recent times the Héraultaise's good results against OL were reduced to combative draws. Last season, this is what managed to make the players of Jean-Louis Saez by hanging Lyon 0-0.

The context has changed
In the first half of the season, despite the 2-1 defeat, Montpellier managed to make OL doubt that could even have left points in this match. But at the time, the OL was going through its worst season this season, with games won more laboriously than usual (as at the reception of Metz in Décines). This period seems distant now, and Lyon is gradually gaining momentum in view of the spring deadline.

For Montpellier the month of February seems to be difficult, and especially comes to question the ambitions of the beginning of the season, especially for Europe. Before this match, one wondered if the absence of Sofia Jakobsson could be detrimental for Montpellier. After the meeting, it was difficult to believe that his presence would have fundamentally changed the course of the meeting.

On the field, we found the 3-5-2, regularly used by Gérard Prêcheur. This time, Kadeisha Buchanan was lined up alongside Griedge Mbock and Lyon captain Wendie Renard. Amel Majri and Pauline Bremer were on the wings, around the Kumagai-Abily-Marozsan triangle and the Le Sommer-Hegerberg duo in attack. On the Montpellier side, there was a 4-3-2-1 system with three recovering circles (Dekker / Toletti / Torrecilla) and ahead of Janyce Cayman and Clarisse Le Bihan in support of Valérie Gauvin titularized point.

Lyon, an air of Champions League
If Montpellier attack the match on the right foot, the ball control returns quickly in the feet Lyonnais. Several strikes not framed for the OL in the first ten minutes, before the first real opportunity in the 11th minute. Facing the goal, in the box, Ada Hegerberg sees Eugénie Le Sommer put the ball back to his head. She places a flip that Laetitia Philippe manages to divert on his left.

A first alert followed closely by another opportunity, this time concretized by the players Lyon. On a free-kick on the right-hand side, Dzsenifer Marozsan manages to find Wendie Renard in the area at the far post. The Lyon captain places a crossed head that deceives Laetitia Philippe on his left (13th).

After the Lyon goal, Montpellier made the choice to go three behind with Virginia Torrecilla who turns into central defender, to allow Sakina Karchaoui and Marion Torrent to evolve higher and try to quickly return to the score. An energy deployed by the Héraultaises who do not seem to disturb Lyonnaises who even benefit from playing in the back of the two lateral Montpellier with spaces more and more important to combine and find offsets.

Pauline Bremer was untenable
Right side, Pauline Bremer is a permanent source of concern for the defense of Montpellier and Sakina Karchaoui who also seeks to participate in the construction of offensives of his team. In the 26th minute, Bremer added a second goal for Lyon, on a superb delivery from Marozsan who sets a defender and distributes the ball in the right lane where Pauline Bremer arrives launched and mostly free. She recovers the ball, transplanted in the axis and places a powerful shot in a closed angle but will hit the right post before ending in the nets of Philippe Laetitia.

This new goal comes to sound a Montpellier team that failed to hit the goal in the first period, or even manage to sow doubt in the defense Lyon. Valérie Gauvin's efforts in the forefront face three strong defenders, among the best in the world at their posts and impassable on this match. On the contrary Lyon managed to hit the goal several times before the break, but this time Laëtitia Philippe managed to get in front of Griedge Mbock (35), Eugénie Le Sommer (40) and Dzsenifer Marozsan (44). Saki Kumagai sees his attempt pass just over the crossbar (43 ').

A first half that ends with a Lyon team that seemed unplayable for Montpelliéraines without solutions. Among the gaps, a weakness on the sides in the offensive sector, which prevented Montpellier from destabilizing the line of three OL. But, that seems of the detail as the difference seemed important between the two teams.

In the second half, both coaches make changes. Caroline Seger replaces Saki Kumagai in front of Lyon defense while Stina Blackstenius and Lindsey Thomas replace Valérie Gauvin and Clarisse Le Bihan. Montpellier now plays in 3-5-2. At the 53rd minute, Montpellier sees his first strike of the match, an attempt by Anouk Dekker countered by a player Lyon.

Wendie Renard seals the Lyon win
A second act where Montpellier seems to find his mind and tries to rebuild phases of play. But the company remains difficult. Laëtitia Philippe has fewer interventions to make even if it makes a good exit in front of Ada Hegerberg on the hour of play. However, in the 67th minute, Lyon scored a third goal, again on free-kick. This time he is hit by Camille Abily on the left. The center finds the head of Wendie Renard who extends the ball in the goal Hérault and definitively seals the fate of this meeting.

The set kicks, usual strong point of Montpellier, were on this match a real heel of Achilles. Two goals conceded, but also the difficulty to carry the danger in front of Lyon goal on the few free-kicks whistled at about thirty meters goal Sarah Bouhaddi. The goalkeeper Lyon, little worried has also made good outings on the few situations where the ball was sent into the surface of the OL.

At the end of the match, Sakina Karchaoui manages to infiltrate the defense Lyon but his center can not find a buyer, skirting the line of Sarah Bouhaddi desperately. Sandie Toletti found the frame on a shot at twenty meters but stumbles on Sarah Bouhaddi who relaxes well on his left (88th).

Is the title already played?
The match ends with this fight that did not take place. For Montpellier, this result may put an end to the hopes of Europe, unless a misstep PSG in the coming weeks. A defeat of Paris at Parc OL would not be enough to allow the MHSC to review the Champions League. Conversely, for Lyon, this match is a real step forward for the title.

From now on only a decision of the FFF Appeals Committee can put Paris back in the title race. The kind of suspense that we would like to happen without, but now seems the only obstacle that remains on the road leaders Lyon.