PARIS: Already eliminated from European competition, Olympique Lyon’s form worsened as they were thumped 4-2 at home by a resurgent Montpellier in Ligue 1 on Friday — their chances of catching runaway leaders Paris St Germain retreating further.

Lyon, who lost 2-1 at home to Belgian side Gent on Tuesday to finish bottom of their Champions League group — failing to even qualify for the Europa League, remain 13 points adrift of PSG who have a game in hand.

Second-placed Lyon are stuck on 25 points from 15 games with Montpellier up one place to 13th with 18 points.

Unheralded Chadian striker Casimir Ninga was the hero for Montpellier with a brace in between a Maxime Gonalons own goal and a Souleymane Camara strike for the visitors, who ran riot against shambolic Lyon defending at the Stade de Gerland.

Alexandre Lacazette and Rachid Ghezzal netted for the home side, but this was a worrying performance from Hubert Fournier’s team, who were lucky not to lose by a much wider margin.

“It’s the worst match of my career, and I’m not talking just about Lyon,” Fournier said. “We were poor in every department.”

Montpellier went ahead after just eight minutes when Gonalons deflected Jerome Roussillon’s cross into his own net at the near post and Ninga doubled their advantage in the 11th minute, holding off Rafael before slotting past Anthony Lopes.

Lyon responded in the 14th minute as Lacazette nodded in after a Claudio Beauvue effort had been blocked on the line.

However, Ninga made it 3-1 three minutes into the second half from close range after Roussillon intercepted a poor pass from Rafael aimed for keeper Lopes.

Veteran striker Soule­ymane Camara wrapped up the win for the visitors 10 minutes from time before Lyon midfielder Ghezzal replied with an 84th-minute free kick.

Published in Dawn, November 29th, 2015