Lyon and Saint-Etienne have gone into the halfway stage of their crucial Rhone derby all square at 1-1 this evening.

The first chance of the game fell the way of the visitors as Benoit Tremoulinas sent his cross to the back post for Francois Clerc, who was only denied by a fine diving stop from Anthony Lopes.

Lopes could do nothing about the opening goal six minutes later, however, as Mevlut Erdinc's strike took a deflection off a defender and flew past the keeper moments after he had made a fine double save.

Erdinc almost had a second less than 10 minutes later as Lopes came for a cross and completely missed the ball, relying on a good block by his defender to ensure that his mistake was not punished.

The hosts were level shortly before the break, however, as Bafetimbi Gomis beat two men on the wing before floating the ball over for Alexandre Lacazette, who produced a sweet volley past the keeper.