Ligue 1 Review Gameweek 2

It was another weekend of great and surprising results in Ligue 1, with a number of late goals proving to be the deciders in the majority of the games.

Here at The Sports Lowdown, our French football expert Mark Sheppard reviews the weekends action.

Monaco 0-0 Lille

It was a game that either team may have won but some top class goalkeeping ensured Monaco and Lille had a share of the points on Friday night. Monaco will feel they should have taken all three points from the match but Lille goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama put on a top display, denying a Nabil Dirar shot, a Joao Moutinho free kick and a Ricardo Carvalho header in injury time.

Lille lost defender Sebastien Corchia early on through an injury after just 28 minutes and they were a much stronger team in the second half, only failing to score due to the efforts of Danijel Subasic in the Monaco goal. One concern for Monaco is losing Joao Moutinho in the second half with an ankle injury that could keep him out for 4-6 weeks. Monaco are now in 6^th place whereas Lille are all the way down in 16^th after facing PSG and Monaco in their first two league games.

Saint-Étienne 1-1 Bordeaux

A draw wasn’t really good enough for either team as it leaves Saint-Étienne in 14^th and Bordeaux in 15^th, five points from the leaders after just two games. Bordeaux will be the happier of the two however, as a late Henri Saivet goal salvaged a point for the visitors.

Les Verts took the lead in the 58th-minute when Romain Hamouma completed an impressive team move with a finish from the left side of the area. Saivet’s 91^st-minute equaliser earned Bordeaux their first point of the season and left Saint-Étienne feeling disheartened.

Angers 0-0 Nantes

Promoted side Angers remain unbeaten on their return to the top flight after this week’s goalless draw with Nantes, following up from the surprise victory at Montpellier. Nantes’ goal scoring issues continue as their only goal this season has come from an opposition own goal last week against Guingamp. Gilles Sunu should have put the hosts ahead after his header from a free kick went just wide of the post.

Nantes could have taken all three points in injury time when striker Johan Audel failed to make the most of his opportunity when the ball fell to him. Angers have made an excellent start to the season and are 4^th in the league going into the third week, and Nantes will be content with their 8^th place just behind Angers on goal difference.

Caen 1-0 Toulouse

Caen have followed up their victory over Marseille with another win, this time against Toulouse, joining PSG and Reims as the only teams to win both games this season. Emmanuel Imorou had to leave the field early in the second half with a strain on his calf, but Caen went on to score the winner shortly after. Defender Damien Da Silva scored the only goal in a match of few chances when he rose highest to head in a Julien Feret free kick in the 69^th-minute. Matters got worse for Toulouse in the latter stages of the game when Uros Spajic received a straight red card for a tackle on Caen’s Vincent Bessat. Caen’s second win of the season leaves them 3^rd on goal difference and Toulouse look to be showing signs of inconsistency, sitting mid-table after due to their victory over Saint-Étienne.

Lorient 1-1 Bastia

Bastia are in a good position this season having beaten Rennes on the opening weekend and a draw against Lorient leaves them 5^th in the league. Lorient are also unbeaten after two games with the notable draw against Lyon before this match, leaving them mid-table in 12^th.

Bastia took the lead after just four minutes with a Floyd Ayite goal, and they looked to be taking all the points home but for a 91^st-minute Benjamin Moukandjo penalty. Sebastien Squillaci fouled Denis Bouanga in the box and Moukandjo made no mistake from the spot, denying Bastia their second win of the season.