PARIS - A League Cup last-16 game between arch-rivals St Etienne and Olympique Lyon was interrupted midway through the second half when fans threw flares onto the pitch on Wednesday.

Referee Clement Turpin halted play and sent the players back to the dressing room in the 66th minute when St Etienne supporters fired flares after a penalty was awarded to Lyon for a foul on striker Alexandre Lacazette.

Play resumed after a five-minute interruption with Brazil winger Michel Bastos converting the penalty to give Lyon a 2-0 lead.

Bastos picked up a yellow card after he appeared to provoke the St Etienne fans in his goal celebration.

Bastos, however, denied wrongdoing.

"It's a gesture I make to my wife, I'm sorry they took it badly," he told French TV Channel France 3. "I did not intend to provoke them."

The teams meet again at the weekend at Lyon's Gerland stadium in Ligue 1.