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Lyon have been knocked out of the French League Cup after a 3-1 home defeat by Ligue 2 Metz in the fourth round.

It was the seven-time French champions' first loss at Stade Gerland in exactly a year, when Marseille won 2-1.

Lyon rested a few usual starters including top scorer Karim Benzema before next weekend's Ligue 1 game against Bordeaux.

That decision did not pay off.

Metz led 2-0 at the interval after scoring twice against the run of play through Victor Mendy and Sebastien Renouard.

Brazil defender Cris revived Lyon when he headed home a corner from Sweden midfielder Kim Kallstrom just after the break.

Romain Rocchi dashed Lyon's hopes in the 66th minute when he slipped the ball into an empty goal after Lyon keeper Remy Vercoutre had rushed outside his box.

Metz will face fellow second division side Vannes in the quarter-finals after the Brittany club upset top flight team Auxerre 2-0.

Elsewhere, Bordeaux got off to an almost perfect start during their 4-2 win over Ligue 2 Guingamp.

A goal by Benoit Tremoulinas and two by Gabriel Obertan gave them a three-goal lead after 30 minutes before the visitors reduced the gap to 3-2 through a double by Brazilian Eduardo Dos Santos before the interval.

Argentine Fernando Cavenaghi sealed Bordeaux's victory with a late penalty.

"It was a typical Cup game. We won't be too choosy but we have to improve," Bordeaux coach Laurent Blanc told French television channel France 4.

Bordeaux will host Chateauroux in the next round after they prevailed 2-1 at Montpellier in the only all-Ligue 2 tie of the night.

Lens moved closer to gaining possible revenge for last season's final defeat by Paris St-Germain when they snatched an extra-time 1-0 win at Sochaux.

Tunisia defender Alaeddine Yahia headed the winner in the 110th minute.

Lens, who were relegated to Ligue 2 at the end of last season, will face PSG in the quarter-finals if the capital side beat Nancy at home on Wednesday.

Nice thrashed third-division Creteil 3-0 and will meet either Le Havre or Stade Rennes in the next round.

Reuters