Lively Lyon prove too strong for Dinamo

First-half goals from Bafétimbi Gomis and Bakary Koné earned Rémi Garde a first group stage victory as Olympique Lyonnais coach against GNK Dinamo Zagreb.

The Ligue 1 outfit failed to win their last five UEFA Champions League games under Claude Puel and, under Garde, drew with AFC Ajax a fortnight ago in their Group D opener. Yet from the moment Gomis broke the deadlock with an exquisite chip on 23 minutes a home victory looked inevitable. Indeed, OL might have won more comfortably but squandered several chances before and after Koné sealed victory three minutes before the break.

The Gones began in determined fashion, peppering the visitors' back line with crosses. Gomis might have registered in the third minute after Clément Grenier's centre had been helped on by Jimmy Briand, yet the French international blasted over. Grenier was impressing again, the 20-year-old playmaker wreaking havoc with his 17th-minute corner only for Maxime Gonalons to sky the ball when well placed.

Lyon's energetic pressing game was pinning Krunoslav Jurčić's charges deep in their own territory and ultimately resulted in a costly mistake from Adrián Calello. Under pressure from Kim Källström, the midfielder played Gomis clear with a sloppy back pass and the former AS Saint-Étienne striker surged forward before executing a delightful finish over an advanced Ivan Kelava from 25 metres.

Dinamo almost found an instant response but Fatos Beqiraj failed to get a decisive touch on Luis Ibáñez's low cross and Garde's team quickly seized the initiative again. After Gomis had side-footed Källström's pinpoint pass off target from close range, centre-back Koné produced a far better finish from Grenier's corner, the defender arriving unmarked in the middle and blasting past Kelava.

The hosts had their tails up and Grenier almost added a third on the stroke of half-time, taking Källström's left-wing cross expertly in his stride before forcing Kelava in to a sharp save. The introduction of two defenders, Josip Šimunić and Ivan Tomečak, helped tame Lyon in the second period, although it also reduced Dinamo's attacking options. Hugo Lloris was belatedly called into action in the final 20 minutes, pushing out Tonel's header then saving Jerko Leko's near-post shot.

It was too little too late from the Croatian double winners, who will be without the suspended Leko when they entertain AFC Ajax on 18 October, when Lyon travel to section pacesetters Real Madrid CF.