* Lyon crush Debrecen with two goals in each half
* French side second in Group E behind Fiorentina
* Debrecen finish last with six defeats
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By Andre Assier
LYON, France, Dec 9 - Olympique Lyon pleased their
home fans by crushing Debrecen 4-0 with two goals in each half
on Wednesday although their efforts were not enough to win
Champions League Group E.
Lyon, who had already qualified for the next phase, finish
second behind Fiorentina, who snatched a late 2-1 win over
Liverpool at Anfield. Third-placed Liverpool continue in the
Europa League while Hungarian champions Debrecen finished last
with six defeats in as many games.
Striker Bafetimbi Gomis opened the scoring on 25 minutes,
following up after Debrecen keeper Djordje Pantic failed to
block an effort by Sidney Govou.
Brazilian midfielder Michel Bastos doubled the advantage
from close range just before the break. Miralem Pjanic made it
3-0 on the hour from a Bastos cross before defender Aly Cissokho
wrapped up the scoring with a powerful shot from the edge of the
box.
"We owed this to our fans," Cissokho told reporters after
Lyon scored their first win at their Gerland stadium since a 2-1
Ligue 1 victory over Toulouse in September.
"Of course we would have preferred to win the group because
playing the (last 16) return leg at home is an advantage, but
never mind,"
Lyon, who had gone six matches without victory in all
competitions, looked sluggish at first and the first chance went
to the visitors with a distant low angled shot from Peter
Czvitkovics that France keeper Hugo Lloris did well to save.
Jeered by their fans, the home side reacted after that
and midfielder Jean Makoun hit the back of the net five minutes
later but was ruled offside.
The seven-times French champions did not look that
comfortable after moving ahead and Debrecen had another
opportunity with a deflected effort by striker Adamo Coulibaly
just before Lyon made it 2-0.
The match was more one-sided after that and the boos from
the Gerland stands gradually stopped.
Lloris and Coulibaly both finished the game with bandages
after sustaining face cuts in a clash of heads. The Lyon
keeper's injury looked superficial, however, and he should be
fit to face champions Girondins Bordeaux in Ligue 1 on Sunday.
"This is just what we needed to boost our confidence before
facing Bordeaux," Cissokho said.
(Writing by Patrick Vignal in Paris, Editing by Sonia Oxley;
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