Grenoble 1 - 1 Lyon

Ten-man Grenoble battle back

Updated: November 22, 2009, 8:08 AM UK

Lyon spurned the chance to move two points clear at the top of Ligue 1 after being held to a surprise stalemate on the road at bottom side Grenoble.

Claude Puel's perennial title challengers laboured through the contest at Stade des Alpes but looked as though their listless display would go unpunished when Cesar Delgado netted after 66 minutes.

The dismissal of Grenoble's Laurent Courtois six minutes later appeared to have made it an impossible task for the hosts but Lyon reckoned without Danijel Ljuboja, who hit the leveller just 60 seconds later.

Grenoble's second point of the campaign comes just a fortnight after the green shoots of recovery first showed with a goalless draw at high-flying Monaco, and tonight's performance will be a fillip for coach Mecha Bazdarevic, whose side are nevertheless still 11 points from safety.

The hosts did not look like a side without a win in 12 league games at the start of the match as Daisuke Matsui forced Lyon goalkeeper Hugo Lloris to save his cross-shot inside the first minute.

Matsui went closer still after 12 minutes, Laurent Batlles' cross met with a crunching header by the Japanese striker who was unfortunate to see his effort strike the bar.

Lyon were struggling to get a grip on proceedings and it took until the 32nd minute for the visitors to register a shot on goal when Delgado's run and cross reached Sidney Govou, who could do no better than fire wide at the far post.

The second period continued along the same lines with Grenoble comfortably containing their hosts during the opening exchanges.

But the warning signs were there for the hosts after 63 minutes when Delgado played a one-two with Lisandro Lopez but saw his effort gathered at the second time of asking by Ronan Le Crom.

The breakthrough came three minutes later, after good approach play by Thimothee Kolodzieczak and Bafetimbi Gomis saw the ball find its way through to Delgado, who made no mistake in a one-on-one confrontation with the goalkeeper.

On 72 minutes the night appeared to be falling apart for Grenoble as Courtois saw red for man-handling the referee, but within a minute the hosts had made sure of a point as substitute Ljuboja latched onto a long ball to fire unerringly past Lloris.