Ligue 1 Review Gameweek 8

Marseille 1-2 Angers

Sunday’s four games arguably produced four shock results starting with Angers’ victory at the Stade Vélodrome. The visitors’ form is becoming less of a surprise as they continue to perform well and get good results each week; losing only one of their games this season sees them sit 5^th in the table. Angers surprised the home crowd just before the interval when Bouka Moutou won a penalty before Thomas Mangani scored from the spot.

Marseille continued to dominate through the second half but were hit with another blow once again; this has been a regular feature in Marseille’s campaign so far. Romain Thomas doubled Angers’ lead with a header from a Billy Ketkeophomphone free kick in the 69^th-minute, giving the home side a mountain to climb to get a result. Marseille were offered a lifeline when Lucas Ocampos was awarded a penalty after a foul from Fode Dore and Michy Batshuayi despatched the spot-kick to score what was only a mere consolation. This disappointing defeat has left Marseille in 14^th, only four points from the relegation zone.

 

Guingamp 3-3 Monaco

Monaco failed to move up the table and sit in 9^th place after they conceded a late equaliser away at Guingamp. They started the game very well and got their reward after just a quarter of an hour when Nabil Dirar found Bernardo Silva to make it 1-0, but the hosts pulled it back on the 30^th-minute when Sloan Privat headed in the leveller from a corner. Monaco were looking to restore their lead for the rest of the first half and eventually took the lead again Andrea Raggi made a run into the area before finishing excellently on the stroke of half-time.

The home side then came back once again through Nicolas Benezet who equalised after some good work from Jimmy Briand and Marcus Coco. It took just six minutes for Monaco to establish a lead for the third time with Dirar scoring the third; the goal which looked to be the winner as full-time edged closer. Guingamp had other ideas however and an excellent strike from Benezet in the 89^th-minute salvaged a point for the hosts. Benezet had a great game with two goals and an assist; ensuring his team didn’t lose another game but the result still saw Guingamp drop to 13^th.

 

Montpellier 2-1 Lorient

It’s been a long time coming but Montpellier have won their first game of the season at home to Lorient; a side who had won their previous three games going into this one. The hosts entered this match like any other knowing they had to win and they got off to the perfect start when Ramy Bensebaini’s header made it 1-0 after just six minutes. Montpellier held their lead until half-time but Rafidine Abdullah equalised for Lorient in the 48^th-minute with an effort from range.

This sparked a great response for the home side as just nine minutes later Jonas Martin restored Montpellier’s lead. Matters got worse for Lorient when Abdullah was dismissed in the latter stages of the match but it was too late in the game to affect what was a great win for Montpellier. They have now moved above Gazélec and Troyes to 18^th in the table whereas Lorient are now 10^th.

 

Saint-Étienne 1-4 Nice

The final game of the weekend saw the biggest shock; high-flying Saint-Étienne’s five-match winning streak being ended in spectacular fashion by an in-form Nice side. Vincent Koziello put the visitors ahead after just five minutes but Loic Perrin levelled the score for Saint-Étienne just a quarter of an hour later. Nice began to dominate and Hatem Ben Arfa continued his outstanding goal scoring form with two goals later in the first half.

His first came in the 39^th-minute and the second was just pure brilliance; dribbling past a number of players to score from a tight angle in first half stoppage time. Jean Seri scored the fourth in the 53^rd-minute to seal the victory and leave Saint-Étienne looking for consolation goals to avoid the scoreline becoming any more emphatic. Despite Nice being reduced to nine men after Nampalys Mendy and Maxime Le Marchand were dismissed, they held on to their lead comfortably. Nice are now 7^th after three consecutive wins; scoring 13 goals in the process, and Saint-Étienne are still 2^nd but the gap between them and PSG has stretched to four points.