Lyon celebrate title with away win over PSG

Olympique Lyon celebrated their record fifth consecutive Ligue 1 title with a commanding 1-0 away victory over Paris St Germain on Sunday.

Brazilian striker Fred struck midway through the first half to send Lyon 17 points clear in the standings on 78 points with three games remaining.

Gerard Houllier's side were handed the title on Saturday after second-placed Girondins Bordeaux lost 3-2 at Lille.

Lyon, who have not lost in Ligue 1 since a 1-0 defeat at Caen on March 4, 2005, have equalled St Etienne's and Marseille's record of 12 away wins in a season.

They are now one point shy of the record they set last season when they finished with 79 points.

PSG are eighth on 50 points. "I think we deserved to win by a bigger margin," Houllier told French television channel Canal Plus.

"We dominated the game, we were very solid. Actually, there was no alcohol yesterday (Saturday)," Houllier added.

"We now have to play like champions. We must not let anything go until the end of the season. It's our duty."

Lyon's France winger Florent Malouda said: "It was a little bit tough as we went to bed late yesterday. But we were strong from a psychological point of view."

After a sluggish start, Lyon went ahead on 24 minutes when Fred headed home a Juninho corner.

The Parisians were unable to match the outstanding power of Lyon's midfield and did not create a single chance in the first half.

PSG had to start the second half without Portugal striker Pedro Pauleta. The league's top scorer was replaced by Uruguay forward Carlos Bueno after sustaining a minor thigh injury.

Lyon and France goalkeeper Gregory Coupet also had to leave the pitch on 68 minutes after Bueno stepped on his knee.

"It was a protective decision. If we were in a decisive game, I could have stayed on the pitch," said Coupet.

Substitute Sidney Govou, one of four Lyon players to have been crowned champions since 2002, hit Lionel Letizi's crossbar one minute from time.

Earlier on Sunday, Nice ended Stade Rennes's winning streak in the league with a 2-1 home victory thanks to a goal from defender Jacques Abardonado deep into stoppage time.

Rennes, who had won eight league games in a row, are fourth in the table with 56 points and three matches left. They are two points behind Lille and five below Bordeaux.

Experience, harmony

Meanwhile, Olympique Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas says his priority is to keep his best players after the team won a record fifth consecutive Ligue 1 title.

"We have a group with a lot of experience and players living in harmony," Aulas said.

"Players who win are a target for other clubs but our priority is to keep them by extending their contracts," Aulas told yesterday's issue of sports daily L'Equipe.

After they won their fourth title last year, Lyon sold Ghana midfielder Michael Essien to Chelsea for €38 million.

The players in the current squad most likely to interest top clubs are Brazil's Juninho and Mali's Mahamadou Diarra, both midfielders.

Aulas confirmed Lyon were interested in Anderlecht defender Vincent Kompany but denied reports the 19-year-old Belgium international would join for €16 million.

"It is possible that he will come to Lyon but we have not talked to his club yet and €16 million is not the right price for that sort of player," Aulas said.

Lyon, who exited the Champions League in the quarter-finals for the third time in succession this season, are also likely to chase a world-class striker in an effort to make an impact in Europe at last.