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Arles halt Lyon revival |
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Arles stopped Lyon's recent revival in its tracks as they picked up their second consecutive draw in Ligue 1 to increase the pressure on Les Gones boss Claude Puel.
Puel's side had won four games on the trot in all competitions as they recovered from a disappointing start to the season, while their hosts had picked up their first point of the campaign at Brest last weekend.
And it was the division's basement club who took the lead through Franck Dja Djedje, but Jimmy Briand levelled for Lyon early in the second half.
The home side began in confident fashion as Thomas Ayasse's ambitious lob flew over Hugo Lloris' crossbar before there was a moment of controversy as Camel Meriem went down with blood streaming from his nose after being caught by a stray elbow from Cris. But no action was taken as the referee deemed that it had been unintentional.
Meriem's replacement, Benjamin Psaume, played a big part in his side's 36th-minute opener. His long ball was chased down by Djedje who raced clear of the defence to poke the ball past Lloris and delight the fans at Parc des Sports.
But that lead did not last beyond the second minute of the second half as Miralem Pjanic swung in a corner to find Briand at the near post, with his strong header beating Cyrille Merville.
Another threatening Pjanic delivery caused trouble for the Arles defence on the hour mark but Bafetimbi Gomis could only head centimetres wide.
Gomis then missed another great chance when defender Bakory Soro's error left him through on goal. But the France forward was denied by Merville.
Deme N'Diaye spurned a great chance to re-establish Arles' lead but he shot wide of the target before the busy Merville punched away a fierce free-kick from Brazil international Michel Bastos as they earned a creditable point.
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