Roma take top spot in Serie A, Lyon stumble in Ligue 1

FLORENCE/TOULOUSE: AS Roma fell behind early but came away with a 2-1 win at Fiorentina on Sunday to take top spot provisionally in Serie A and leave the hosts waiting for their first league win of the season.

But Lyon experienced a setback in Ligue 1 where they conceded two late goals at home, losing 2-1 against Toulouse after starting the Match Day 7 with equal points against the French giants Paris-Saint Germain (PSG).

Read more: Lyon win at Lille to stay level at top of Ligue 1 with PSG

FIORENTINA WERE BETTER

Four wins from five had propelled Roma among the title challengers, and the visitors, seeking redemption after their 1-0 Europa League loss to Lille on Thursday, earned another three points despite a spirited Fiorentina performance.

Roma are on 15 points, three ahead of AC Milan (away at Juventus later on Sunday), Napoli (who host Genoa), and Inter Milan, who beat Cremonese 4–1 on Saturday. Fiorentina are fourth from bottom with three points from six games.

Gian Piero Gasperini’s Roma had conceded just one goal in their five league outings but it was Fiorentina who were in front in the 14th minute when a ball over the top by Hans Nicolussi Caviglia found Moise Kean.

Kean twisted and turned his way towards the area before rifling a shot from outside the box into the far top corner to net his first goal of the season.

The lead lasted all of eight minutes before Artem Dovbyk’s backheeled flick from inside the box ended with Matias Soule’s first-time cannoned shot from the edge of the area which left Fiorentina keeper David de Gea with no chance.

Roma took the lead on the half-hour mark from a corner. Bryan Cristante lost his marker and powered a bullet header from outside the six-yard box.

Kean had another chance before the break but this time his effort smashed off the upright and in the second half Fiorentina substitute Roberto Piccoli saw his strike from distance bounce off the crossbar.

Fiorentina, arguably the better side over the 90 minutes, had a late chance to equalise but Robin Gosens somehow blasted his shot high over the target from close range. The final whistle brought boos from the home crowd, more for the result and league position than the performance.

LYON LOSE STEAM

Lyon had equal points — 15 to be precise — just like PSG with only goal difference placing second behind the leaders after Match Day 6.

They had 70 per cent possession as well as 83 per cent pass accuracy against 30 per cent of the visiting Toulouse and took lead thanks to Malick Fofana in 24th minute.

However, Brazilian Emersonn Correia, who came as a substitute in 71th minute, netted the ball twice — first in 89th minute and then in 96th, the last of the match — to spoil the party at Parc Olympique Lyonnais.

Marseille provisionally top the table with also having 15 points just like PSG, Strasbourg and Lyon thanks to better goal difference.

However, the last match of the week between Lille and PSG would decide who is going end Match 7 as the Ligue leaders.

In another match, Monaco managed a 2-2 draw against against the visitors — Nice — after conceding a two-goal lead, which means they ended up with 13 points after Match Day 7, missing an opportunity to amass 15 points.

However, Strasbourg thrashed Angers 5-0 also at home, a result that propelled them to the third spot, with 15 points and pushing Lyon further down to the fourth spot.

Meanwhile, Ansu Fati (Monaco) and J Panichelli (Strasbourg) remain the top scorers in Ligue with five goals each followed by I Kebbal (PSG) with four.