Ligue 1 Review Gameweek 13

 

There were big wins for newly promoted Nancy and Metz as the Ligue 1 campaign is now over a third of the way through.

Friday 18 November

Lorient 0-3 Monaco Venue – Stade du Moustoir

Monaco put pressure on Nice on Friday, comfortably beating Lorient to temporarily draw level on points with the league leaders.

Les Merlus had a host of chances in the opening exchanges but Benjamin Moukandjo couldn’t beat Danijel Subasic, before Steven Moreira and Sylvain Marveaux failed to test the Monaco shot-stopper.

The deadlock was broken just past the hour mark; Radamel Falcao capitalised after a free-kick fell into his path before Thomas Lemar scored a second three minutes later with a fine set piece.

Gabriel Boschilia added a third for the visitors in stoppage time, ensuring Monaco would take top spot, but Nice’s win reduced them to 2^nd, leaving Lorient rock bottom.

Lille 0-1 Lyon Venue – Stade Pierre-Mauroy

Lille’s misery was also compounded once again as they suffered their third consecutive defeat by a 1-0 scoreline, this time at the hands of Lyon.

The only goal of the game came after just three minutes as Maxwel Cornet opened the scoring for Les Gones with a close range strike.

After a spell of pressure from the hosts, they were dealt a blow when Younousse Sankhare was dismissed after receiving a second yellow card in the 55^th-minute.

Their eighth loss in ten matches meant Lille dropped to 19^th, two points from safety, while Lyon climbed to 4^th.

 

Saturday 19 November

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

PSG kept their fourth clean sheet in a row as they strode to another routine win, beating Nantes at the Parc des Princes.

With Edinson Cavani rested, PSG needed a new source for goals and Jean-Kevin Augustin teed up Angel Di Maria to score the opener in the 13^th-minute.

Nantes squandered an opportunity to equalise midway through the first half. A Lima free-kick wasn’t defended and the ball fell to Guillaume Gillet, who could only guide the ball towards Kevin Trapp in the PSG goal.

The scoreline remained close until the last minute when Les Parisians were awarded a penalty. Javier Pastore’s effort from distance was handled by Diego Carlos, allowing Jese to double the champions’ lead from the spot.

PSG also drew level on points with Nice to keep the pressure on, but dropped to 3^rd again after Les Aiglons’ victory. Nantes are struggling at the other end of the table, as they are 17^th and only outside of the bottom three on goal difference.

Bastia 1-1 Montpellier Venue – Stade Armand Cesari

The clash between Bastia and Montpellier ended in a draw as the sides couldn’t be separated at the Stade Armand Cesari, meaning they are 16^th and 13^th in the league standings respectively.

Bastia drew first blood in the 8^th-minute thanks to an Ellyes Skhiri own goal; he bundled the ball into his own net trying to defend a corner.

Some good work from Souleymane Camara allowed him to cross the ball and pick out Steve Mounie early in the second half to equalise, meaning Bastia have now gone nearly two months without a win.

Nancy 1-0 Dijon Venue – Stade Marcel Picot

Nancy earned a small but significant victory on Saturday as they defeated Dijon to stay in touch with Ligue 1 safety.

The hosts were performing well before they were on the end of a thrashing at the Stade Louis II before the international break, and they responded well with three points against fellow relegation candidates.

Tobias Badila scored the crucial goal in the 77^th-minute. The ball was delivered through a crowded penalty box and the Frenchman found the net with the help of a deflection.

Nancy remain in the relegation zone, in 18^th, but there are promising signs for Pablo Correa’s side, while Dijon sit 14^th in the table after failing to win for the third successive match.

 

Rennes 1-1 Angers Venue – Roazhon Park

Neither side could find the winning goal at Roazhon Park as Rennes and Angers earned a share of the spoils.

Giovanni Sio scored the opening goal for Rennes in the 21^st-minute, reaching the through ball from Ludovic Baal before showing the composure to go around Mathieu Michel and score from a difficult angle.

Angers’ Romain Thomas was dismissed before the hour mark for denying Sio another goal scoring opportunity, but this didn’t hinder the visitors as they levelled the scores through a fine Nicolas Pepe effort eight minutes from time.

There was another twist to come in second half injury time as Cheick N’Doye was also given his marching order for Angers, but it was too late to affect the balance of play and the scoreline.

Rennes maintained a strong position in 6^th and kept the gap between them and Angers in 10^th to three points.

Toulouse 1-2 Metz Venue – Stadium Municipal

After five matches without a win, Metz got back on track with by defeating Toulouse away from home.

It was a game Les Pitchouns would have expected to win, but Metz had other ideas as they led in the 35^th-minute after Yann Jouffre converted from the spot following 17-year-old goalkeeper Alban Lafont bringing down Opa Nguette in the box.

The visitors were fast out of the blocks in the second half and raced into a two-goal lead thanks to Georges Mandjeck. This was enough for the win as Toulouse could only add an Odsonne Edouard consolation deep into stoppage time.

Metz made a small forward step to 12^th in the league table, while Toulouse drop to 8^th after the worrying sign of going four games without a win.

 

Sunday 20 November

Guingamp 1-1 Bordeaux Venue – Stade du Roudourou

In the hunt for a European spot, Guingamp and Bordeaux couldn’t be separated at the Stade du Roudourou after a late equaliser for the hosts, ensuring the two sides sit 5^th and 7^th respectively.

Les Girondins took the lead after 22 minutes through an Igor Lewczuk header and they should have doubled their lead with just over ten minutes remaining, but Jeremy Menez couldn’t beat Karl-Johan Johnsson from the spot.

This came back to bite Bordeaux as Guingamp’s ever reliable Jimmy Briand earned a point at the death, converting Lucas Deaux’s delivery in the 93^rd-minute.

Marseille 1-0 Caen Venue – Stade Vélodrome

Marseille edged towards the top half of the table after Rolando earned them a late win against Caen.

Les Olympiens suffered a setback when they lost to Montpellier before the international break but they returned to form on Sunday at the Stade Vélodrome.

It was a game of few chances but the decisive moment arrive in the 81^st-minute when Bafetimbi Gomis crossed the ball into the box and Rolando was left unmarked to head home the winner.

The result saw Marseille climb to 11^th, four points ahead of their opponents Caen who are 15^th.

Saint-Étienne 0-1 Nice Venue – Stade Geoffroy-Guichard

Nice dealt with the pressure from Monaco and PSG by winning at Saint-Étienne to reclaim top spot in Ligue 1.

After a loan spell with Saint-Étienne last season, Valentin Eysseric has returned to Nice and scored the winner at the Stade Geoffroy-Guichard in the final game of the season.

Nolan Roux threatened on a number of occasions for the hosts, but his effort early in the first half only found the side-netting before he forced Yoan Cardinale to make a save in the second period with a header.

The breakthrough for Les Aiglons came in the 63^rd-minute. Jordan Veretout gifted Eysseric possession and the Frenchman carried the ball past Loic Perrin before unleashing a relentless strike.

Nice’s tenth victory of the season saw them retake a three-point lead at the top of the table, while Saint-Étienne sit in 9^th place.