Balotelli posts goal celebration video on social media mid-match

AFP  |  Paris 

showed off a new on Sunday as he took a video with his teammates and posted it on during their 2-0 win over Saint-Etienne.

The Italian scored his fourth goal in six games since joining from Nice in January by hooking home Florian Thauvin's 12th-minute corner with an excellent acrobatic volley.

"Balotelli takes the pressure, he takes the limelight. He reminds me of (Zlatan) Ibrahimovic and he scored an Ibrahimovic goal," said

"He has brought back the public, the confidence, and many of his teammates will raise their level of play."

As he celebrated his volley, Balotelli took a phone from the behind the goal before filming the video with his laughing teammates and posting it on his story.

The 28-year-old then carried on playing.

He was not the to produce a selfie-based celebration, after Roma great took a picture of himself after scoring against in the capital-city derby in 2015.

doubled their advantage nine minutes later through a Thauvin penalty and closed out the win with ease.

Rudi Garcia's men have now taken 13 points from their last five league matches to leapfrog Saint-Etienne into fourth, just five points adrift of in the race for the third and final spot.

Earlier on Sunday, scored twice as thrashed Toulouse 5-1 to strengthen their grip on a top-three spot.

Bruno Genesio's Lyon, who are also through to the French Cup semi-finals and claimed a 0-0 first-leg draw in the last 16 against Barcelona, continued their strong season by moving six points clear of fourth-placed Saint-Etienne.

"Often this season, we haven't been calm under pressure, but against Toulouse it was a good match," said Nabil Fekir, whose 21-year-old younger brother made his debut as a 79th-minute substitute.

"Playing with my brother was a huge pleasure." The home side took less than 10 minutes to break the deadlock at the Stadium as Memphis Depay fired home a wonderful individual goal.

levelled for Toulouse on the quarter-hour mark, but the visitors folded after restored Lyon's advantage in the 30th minute. netted a penalty five minutes later, and former Celtic striker Dembele compounded Toulouse's misery in the second half.

He powered through the pitiful away defence midway through the second period and slotted a left-footed shot into the corner, before tapping in his 13th goal of the season shortly afterwards from Fekir's low cross.

Traore also had another goal ruled out by VAR for offside, while Toulouse finished the game with 10 men as former Bastia was sent off for the 11th time in his career.

- see off Dijon -

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remain second behind Paris Saint-Germain after Christophe Galtier's men claimed a narrow 1-0 win over struggling Dijon.

With PSG still 17 points clear at the top with a game in hand, are well-placed to secure a return to the group stage for the first time since 2012.

Dijon, who remain five points from safety in 19th spot, made life tough for Lille at the Stade Pierre-Mauroy until put through his own net in the 72nd minute.

"We will continue to work to be able to hold off the teams who want to take our place, qualifying for is a dream we will try to achieve," said Lille forward

Elsewhere, Patrick Vieira's Nice boosted their hopes of qualifying for next season's as Youcef Atal's 20th-minute strike was enough to see off 1-0.

Nice are seventh in the table, four points adrift of Marseille.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

First Published: Mon, March 04 2019. 09:50 IST