Paris (AFP) – Turkey international Yusuf Yazici struck twice as Lille ended a three-game winless run in Ligue 1 with a 4-0 victory over Lorient that cut Paris Saint-Germain’s lead at the top to two points.
Yazici slotted home from a Jonathan Bamba pass to put Lille ahead on 28 minutes before flicking in a Jonathan David cross to double the advantage early in the second half.
The midfielder then turned provider for Luiz Araujo to add a third for Lille on the hour, with Jonathan David notching his long-awaited first goal for the club in the closing stages.
It has been a slow start to life in France for David, who was one of the biggest signings made by a Ligue 1 club in the summer as Lille paid a reported 27 million euros ($32 million) to recruit the 20-year-old Canada forward from Belgian side Gent.
Christophe Galtier’s side reclaimed second place from Lyon, who beat Angers 1-0 earlier in the day courtesy of a late winner from Zimbabwe striker Tino Kadewere.
Montpellier beat Strasbourg 4-3 in a dramatic match to join Lyon and Monaco on 20 points, four adrift of PSG.
Defending champions PSG blew a two-goal lead to lose 3-2 at Monaco on Friday and hand the chasing pack the chance to close the gap.
Lyon, semi-finalists in last season’s Champions League, took advantage, but needed an 80th-minute winner from Kadewere.
“We came to win and take second and we did it,” said Lyon coach Rudi Garcia. “It wasn’t our best game but we’ve had matches when we had lots of chances but didn’t win, so that balances it out.”
The 24-year-old Kadewere, a close-season arrival from second-tier outfit Le Havre, has scored four Ligue 1 goals this term.
Montpellier, the 2012 champions, led 2-0 through early goals from Pedro Mendes and Andy Delort, but Strasbourg hit back with a brace of penalties from Kenny Lala and Habib Diallo.
Former Wigan Athletic striker Delort restored the hosts’ advantage, and although Ludovic Ajorque levelled on the stroke of half-time, Gaetan Laborde had the final say midway through the second period.
Sixth-placed Marseille are only six points off the pace with two games in hand.
