Lyon lose ground in battle for second with Reims draw

Soccer Football - Ligue 1 - Olympique Lyonnais v Stade de Reims - Groupama Stadium, Lyon, France - January 11, 2019 Lyon's Marcal in action with Stade de Reims' Remi Oudin REUTERS/Emmanuel Foudrot

PARIS (Reuters) - Olympique Lyonnais lost ground in the race for second spot in Ligue 1 when they were held 1-1 at home by Stade de Reims while second-placed Lille cruised to a 3-1 win at Caen on Friday.

Three days after being knocked out in the League Cup quarter-finals, Lyon got off on the wrong foot as Pablo Chavarria pounced to put the visitors ahead in the 35th minute.

Soccer Football - Ligue 1 - Olympique Lyonnais v Stade de Reims - Groupama Stadium, Lyon, France - January 11, 2019 Stade de Reims' Yunis Abdelhamid with team mates after the match REUTERS/Emmanuel Foudrot

The hosts pushed after the break and were rewarded when Bertrand Traore's strike took a deflection off Ghislain Conan for the equaliser 20 minutes from time.

Reims could feel short-changed after substitute Sheyi Ojo was denied by goalkeeper Anthony Lopes in the closing stages.

The result left Lyon in third place on 33 points from 19 games, four points behind Lille, who have played a game more but were never threatened at Caen. Reims stay seventh with 27.

Soccer Football - Ligue 1 - Olympique Lyonnais v Stade de Reims - Groupama Stadium, Lyon, France - January 11, 2019 Stade de Reims' Yunis Abdelhamid shoots at goal REUTERS/Emmanuel Foudrot

The northerners raced into a two-goal lead in the opening 20 minutes thanks to goals by Nicolas Pepe and Rafael Leao.

Luiz Araujo added a third in stoppage time after Lille had been reduced to 10 men following Zeki Celik's dismissal in the 85th minute.

Caen pulled one back five minutes into added time through Casimir Ninga.

Soccer Football - Ligue 1 - Olympique Lyonnais v Stade de Reims - Groupama Stadium, Lyon, France - January 11, 2019 Lyon's Marcelo in action with Stade de Reims' Ghislain Konan REUTERS/Emmanuel Foudrot

Lille are 10 points behind leaders Paris St Germain, who have three games in hand and on Saturday travel to Amiens, who are level on 18 points with Caen just above the relegation zone.

"It went well, we knew we had to defend well," said Lille coach Christophe Galtier. "I'm very satisfied by the team's behaviour even if I’m a bit upset that we were down to 10 men in the end."

Soccer Football - Ligue 1 - Olympique Lyonnais v Stade de Reims - Groupama Stadium, Lyon, France - January 11, 2019 Lyon's Ferland Mendy in action with Stade de Reims' Sheyi Ojo REUTERS/Emmanuel Foudrot

(Reporting by Julien Pretot; Editing by Ken Ferris)

Soccer Football - Ligue 1 - Olympique Lyonnais v Stade de Reims - Groupama Stadium, Lyon, France - January 11, 2019 Stade de Reims coach David Guion REUTERS/Emmanuel Foudrot

Soccer Football - Ligue 1 - Olympique Lyonnais v Stade de Reims - Groupama Stadium, Lyon, France - January 11, 2019 Lyon's Marcelo in action with Stade de Reims' Pablo Chavarria REUTERS/Emmanuel Foudrot

Soccer Football - Ligue 1 - Olympique Lyonnais v Stade de Reims - Groupama Stadium, Lyon, France - January 11, 2019 Lyon's Tanguy Ndombele in action with Stade de Reims' Nolan Mbemba REUTERS/Emmanuel Foudrot

Soccer Football - Ligue 1 - Olympique Lyonnais v Stade de Reims - Groupama Stadium, Lyon, France - January 11, 2019 Lyon's Bertrand Traore in action with Stade de Reims' Yunis Abdelhamid REUTERS/Emmanuel Foudrot

Soccer Football - Ligue 1 - Olympique Lyonnais v Stade de Reims - Groupama Stadium, Lyon, France - January 11, 2019 Lyon's Jason Denayer in action with Stade de Reims' Pablo Chavarria REUTERS/Emmanuel Foudrot

Soccer Football - Ligue 1 - Olympique Lyonnais v Stade de Reims - Groupama Stadium, Lyon, France - January 11, 2019 Lyon's Marcelo in action with Stade de Reims' Pablo Chavarria REUTERS/Emmanuel Foudrot

Soccer Football - Ligue 1 - Olympique Lyonnais v Stade de Reims - Groupama Stadium, Lyon, France - January 11, 2019 Lyon's Ferland Mendy in action with Stade de Reims' Thomas Foket REUTERS/Emmanuel Foudrot