Ligue 1 Review Gameweek 8

 

There were important wins for Lille and Lyon at the weekend and this Ligue 1 season continues to look like the most unpredictable in years.

 

Friday 30 September

Rennes 1-0 Guingamp Venue – Roazhon Park

The opening match of the weekend saw Rennes grab a late winner against ten-man Guingamp.

It was nearly an excellent result for the visitors as Karl-Johan Johnsson saved a Kamil Grosicki penalty to keep Rennes at bay. Guingamp still had to play nearly half an hour with a man short after Moustapha Diallo was dismissed after giving away the spot-kick.

They got desperately close to earning a point only for Rennes to snatch all three in the 92^nd-minute. Adama Diakhaby won the game with a near-post finish from Grosicki’s delivery.

Rennes move up to 7^th as a result, overtaking Guingamp in 11^th place.

 

Saturday 1 October

Paris Saint-Germain 2-0 Bordeaux Venue – Parc des Princes

PSG quickly got over their loss to Toulouse by beating Bordeaux at the Parc des Princes, thanks to an Edinson Cavani brace.

It took no more than three minutes for Les Parisians to break the deadlock as Cavani headed Angel Di Maria’s cross past Cedric Carrasso. A well-worked team goal on the half-hour mark ensured PSG doubled their lead; Lucas Moura released Layvin Kurzawa before the latter teed Cavani up to make it 2-0 with an audacious back-heel.

Bordeaux rarely threatened the PSG goal but their best chance was a deflected Malcom free-kick that Alphonse Areola did well to save.

Les Girondins’ loss meant they lost touch with the title chasers as they fall seven points short in 6^th, while PSG continue to pile on the pressure in 3^rd.

Caen 1-0 Toulouse Venue – Stade Michel d’Ornano

Toulouse’s run of three successive wins came to an end at the Stade Michel d’Ornano as they were narrowly beaten by Caen.

Les Pitchouns missed out on a great opportunity to establish a gap between them and the sides below, but they slip to 4^th. Caen on the other hand got a much needed win as they are still down in 13^th.

All it took to separate the sides was an Ivan Santini penalty as Francois Moubandje handled the ball in the area to concede the spot-kick.

Despite some late pressure from Toulouse, there was to be no reward.

Dijon 3-3 Montpellier Venue – Stade Gaston Gérard

The game of the weekend came at the Stade Gaston Gérard where Dijon came from behind to earn a point in a six-goal thriller with Montpellier.

Rodrigue Ninga was the star of the show for the visitors as he scored a hat-trick. He gave La Paillade a two-goal lead in the first half, first converting Jerome Roussillon’s delivery in the 18^th-minute before finding the top corner from the centre of the box in the 25^th.

Dijon were back in the game shortly before half-time when Montpellier goalkeeper Geoffrey Jourdren turned the ball into his own net, but Ninga rebuilt the visitors’ two-goal lead just before the hour mark with a strike in the bottom corner.

There was to be another fightback for the home side however, but from another Montpellier source as Anthony Vanden Borre scored his side’s second own goal of the game in the 81^st-minute. Dijon then completed the comeback through Yohann Riviere in the last minute of regulation time.

One point is still all that separates 15^th place Guingamp from Montpellier in 17^th.

Lille 1-0 Nancy Venue – Stade Pierre-Mauroy

Lille fought hard to earn a vital three points to see them climb off the bottom of the table to 18^th, leaving relegation-threatened Nancy in their place.

It still wasn’t convincing from Les Dogues as they needed a penalty to allow them to make the breakthrough.

Rony Lopes was fouled by Michael Chretien inside the area and Portuguese forward Eder stepped up to convert from the spot and score the only goal of the game.

 

Metz 0-7 Monaco Venue – Stade Saint-Symphorien

Monaco made another statement on Saturday by crushing Metz 7-0 at the Stade Saint-Symphorien.

It was a rout in favour of the visitors against a ten-man Metz, but Monaco were already three goals up when Cheick Doukoure was dismissed on the hour mark.

There were first half goals from Thomas Lemar after seven minutes, Valere Germain in the 23^rd and Bernardo Silva in the 39^th to ensure the game was all but over before the second period.

Once Doukoure made way, the floodgates opened once again as Leonardo Jardim’s side went on to score another four goals. Fabinho scored the fourth of the game from the spot not long after the sending off, before Guido Carrillo contributed a brace to the goal tally and Gabriel Boschilia compounded Metz’s misery with a seventh with little time remaining.

Metz had enjoyed a great start to the season but it was a bad day at the office for the hosts as they dropped to 8^th in the league, while Monaco remain 2^nd and just one point behind Nice, with a stronger goal difference.

Nantes 1-0 Bastia Venue – Stade de la Beaujoire

Nantes won their first game since the opening day and climbed out of the relegation zone after a Mariusz Stepinski goal saw off Bastia.

The Polish international opened the scoring for Les Canaris in the 18^th-minute; he was played in by Emiliano Sala and calmly slid the ball past Thomas Vincensini.

Bastia did threaten to equalise with good chances. Allan Saint-Maximin was desperately unlucky to see his effort hit the post and fall into the arms of the goalkeeper, before Remy Riou made a huge save in the latter stages to deny Saint-Maximin once more.

The home side moved up to 16^th after to win and will hope this will kick-start their season. Bastia on the other hand aren’t in any danger as of yet; they are comfortably in mid-table in 11^th spot.

 

Sunday 2 October

Angers 1-1 Marseille Venue – Stade Jean Bouin

After a slow start to the campaign, Marseille went agonisingly close to their third win of the season only to be denied by a 93^rd-minute Angers leveller.

It took over an hour for the deadlock to be broken and it was Les Olympiens who took advantage. Florian Thauvin controlled the ball and shot before seeing his attempt fortuitously deflect past a helpless Denis Petric.

Angers earned a very important point right at the death when Marseille failed to clear the ball. Pierrick Capelle never looked like he was going to miss when he got on the end of a string of four headers to fire home the equaliser and sink the hearts of Marseille.

The result made sure Angers, in 12^th place, remained one point ahead of 14^th-placed Marseille.

Nice 2-1 Lorient Venue – Allianz Riviera

Nice continued their unbeaten run and remained top of the table after beating 19^th-placed Lorient in dramatic fashion at the Allianz Riviera.

The Ligue 1 leaders got off to the perfect start when Ricardo Pereira received the ball from Mathieu Bodmer before taking on two defenders and firing home the opening goal after 11 minutes.

Relegation-threatened Lorient fought back in the second half and were soon back in the game. Benjamin Moukandjo was left unmarked and was able to level the scores after beating Yoan Cardinale just past the hour mark.

Summer signing Mario Balotelli then stepped up once again for Les Aiglons and the end of the game was in typical Balotelli fashion. The Italian striker scored the winner in the 86^th-minute with a clinical finish, but received a yellow card for taking his shirt off in celebration. He then received a second yellow in injury time for an altercation, to end the match on a disappointing note for the home side.

Lyon 2-0 Saint-Étienne Venue – Stade des Lumieres

With Nice, Monaco and PSG all winning their matches, it was vital Lyon got the three points to stay in touch with their title rivals and they responded well by defeating Saint-Étienne on Sunday.

Two goals proved to be the difference in the Rhone derby; one towards the end of the first half and one towards the end of the second as Les Gones established dominance in the game.

Just as it looked as though it might be goalless at the break, a run and delivery from Nabil Fekir on the right side picked out Sergi Darder who headed home in the 41^st-minute. With even less of the second half remaining, Rachid Ghezzal made sure of the points in the 88^th-minute with a fine finish from outside the box.

Lyon move to 5^th and continue to pressurise the leaders, while Saint-Étienne are down in 9^th place after being beaten for the first time in six outings.