Soccer-Lyon go top after thumping strugglers Lens

PARIS, Sep 29 (Reuters) Olympique Lyon crushed strugglers Racing Lens 3-0 to move top of Ligue 1 today.

The home win gave Lyon, chasing a seventh consecutive title, a welcome morale boost before they host Rangers in the Champions League on Tuesday.

Lyon have 19 points from nine matches. Surprise packages Nancy are on the same points but have played one game less.

Brazilian midfielder Fabio dos Santos opened the scoring from close range late in the first half of a match that was postponed last month because of European club competition.

Television replays suggested he might have been narrowly offside.

Sweden midfielder Kim Kallstrom exploited a blunder by the defence to make it 2-0 with nine minutes left and France striker Karim Benzema wrapped up victory with a superb goal.

Early in the second half Lens midfielder Jonathan Lacourt unintentionally struck Lyon's Czech forward Milan Baros in the face with his knee.

Baros, with blood on his face, stayed on the ground for a few seconds but was eventually able to resume.

Lens remained third from bottom with one win from eight games.

Reuters MP VP0154