A first-half goal from Jeremy Pied proved enough for Lyon as they defeated Nice 1-0 to continue their climb up the Ligue 1 standings.

The win moves Les Gones, who have now lost just once in seven league matches, into eighth position on the table, three points behind leaders Brest. It marked a fifth defeat of the season for Nice and they lie 12th, three points behind their opponents.

"We delivered a very good first half. It's a pity not to have doubled the score," said Lyon coach Claude Puel.

"It's not the first time we had a lot of chances and had to be satisfied with the minimum. But the most important is to have taken the three points.

"It's important to move closer to the summit but for the moment it's not the position which is the most important but the number of points between us from the leaders," he said.

Patience was the order of the day for the Stade Gerland crowd, who had to wait until the 27th minute for the first decent chance. It fell to Lyon midfielder Yoann Gourcuff, who ran onto a ball from Bastos before smashing a shot from 15 yards which was palmed away by Nice goalkeeper David Ospina. The home side took the lead two minutes later, though, when Bastos again teed up Gourcuff, who curled in a cross to the far post for Pied to provide the finish with a neat volley.

It's not the first time we (Lyon) had a lot of chances and had to be satisfied with the minimum. But the most important is to have taken the three points. 
Claude Puel, Lyon coach

Lyon had the chance to double their lead after 36 minutes when Ismael Gace was punished for a foul in the area on Bafetimbi Gomis. Bastos stepped up to take the resulting spot-kick, but Ospina dived to his left to tip the ball onto the post and out for a corner. Nice had Ospina to thank again as half-time approached with the goalkeeper turning away a vicious drive from Jeremy Toulalan with his feet.

The hosts continued to dominate in the second half, but luck was not on their side after 53 minutes as a stunning header from Gomis was tipped onto the crossbar by an inspired Ospina. The Nice goalkeeper looked to be beaten after 64 minutes, though, when his poor clearance from a Gourcuff cross fell straight to the feet of Bastos, but the Brazilian could only lob his effort over the bar. Nice finally caught a sight of goal with one minute left on the clock and it almost produced an equaliser, but Daniel Ljuboja's powerful strike just cleared the bar.