Ligue 1 Review Gameweek 17

The latest round of Ligue 1 fixtures featured a top of the table clash between PSG and Nice, while adverse weather conditions were wreaking havoc at a number of stadiums.

 

Saturday 10 December

Dijon 1-2 Marseille Venue – Stade Gaston Gérard

After the match was postponed on Friday and rescheduled for the next day, a late goal from Bafetimbi Gomis ensured Marseille took all three points from the encounter with Dijon.

It took six minutes for the deadlock to be broken and it was Marseille’s 19-year-old Maxime Lopez with his first goal for Les Olympiens.

Dijon were back on level terms in the 78^th-minute when the weather conditions helped Mehdi Abeid steer his free-kick beyond Yohann Pele. It looked as though the hosts had earned a point but Gomis popped up three minutes from time, converting Bouna Sarr’s delivery from close range.

The win takes Marseille up one place to 9^th, leaving Dijon 17^th without a win in seven.

Bordeaux 0-4 Monaco Venue – Nouveaux Stade de Bordeaux

Monaco’s run of high scoring continued on Saturday as they hit Bordeaux for four in another convincing win.

Leonardo Jardim’s men were two goals up inside four minutes; Djibril Sidibe opened the scoring after being played through by Bernardo Silva, before Falcao added a second with a back-post finish.

The visitors were just as fast out of the blocks in the second period as Valere Germain provided for Falcao once again to end all hopes of a Bordeaux comeback. In contentious circumstances, Monaco were awarded a penalty just past the hour and Falcao converted to score his hat-trick.

Matters were made worse for Les Girondins when Adam Ounas was sent off for a challenge on Sidibe. They dropped to 10^th in the table as a result, while Monaco took top spot once again before Nice’s match.

Bastia 2-0 Metz Venue – Stade Armand Cesari

Bastia came out on top against Metz in the lower league clash, but Metz still have the upper hand in the league standings. They slipped to 15^th, one point ahead of Bastia in 16^th.

The hosts scored the opener midway through the first half. Gael Danic opened his account for the campaign, finding the bottom corner after receiving the ball from Allan Saint-Maximin.

Saint-Maximin then went from provider to goal scorer as he wrapped the points up in the 75^th-minute. The Monaco loanee unleashed a strike from outside the box to seal the victory for Bastia.

Lille 2-1 Montpellier Venue – Stade Pierre-Mauroy

Lille’s turn in form continued on Saturday as they won for the third game in a row, defeating Montpellier on home soil.

The attacking intent of Les Dogues was evident from the offset and they took the lead within five minutes. Nicolas de Preville was involved in the goals once again for Lille as his strike gave his side the advantage.

Younousse Sankhare’s strike not long before the interval meant Lille had a two-goal lead going into the second half. Steve Mounie set up a nervy finish to the game when he pulled a goal back for Montpellier, but there was to be no comeback as Lille held onto the win.

The win took Lille above Montpellier to 11^th, leaving La Paillade 13^th in the table.

Nancy 2-0 Angers Venue – Stade Marcel Picot

Another much needed win for Nancy arrived on Saturday as they beat Angers at the Stade Marcel Picot to climb to 14^th, level on points with their opponents who dropped to 12^th.

The hosts took the lead in the 29^th-minute thanks to Issiar Dia, who received the ball from Diallo Guidileye before striking the ball home.

Angers offered very little in creativity and Nancy doubled their lead in the second half through Loic Puyo. This could prove to be an important win in Nancy’s bid for Ligue 1 survival.

 

Nantes P-P Caen Venue – Stade de la Beaujoire

The match between Nantes and Caen was postponed due to heavy fog and is going to be rescheduled for 2017.

Toulouse 3-2 Lorient Venue – Stadium Municipal

After their defeat at the hands of Nice last weekend, Toulouse got back to winning ways on Saturday at home to Lorient.

Les Pitchouns can thank Ola Toivonen for the three points as the Swedish international scored a hat-trick to earn his side the victory. The 30-year-old forward turned Yann Bodiger’s cross home after eight minutes, before reacting quickest from a corner to double his side’s lead just over ten minutes later.

Lorient pulled a goal back in the 27^th-minute through Benjamin Moukandjo, but it got difficult for the visitors as Toivonen scored his third on the hour, scoring after Martin Braithwaite’s pass.

Majeed Waris’ late goal threatened a comeback but it proved to be no more than a consolation as Lorient remain at the bottom of the league. Toulouse on the other hand, continue to challenge the European spots as they sit 7^th after the latest round of fixtures.

 

Sunday 11 December

Lyon 1-0 Rennes Venue – Stade des Lumieres

Sunday’s opening game saw Lyon beat Rennes, but it was far from a convincing fashion from Les Gones.

The deadlock was broken by Mathieu Valbuena in his first contribution to the game just before the half-hour mark. Rachid Ghezzal did well to beat his man before teeing up Valbuena to guide the ball past Benoit Costil.

Any hopes of a Rennes fightback were dashed later in the second half when Ramy Bensebaini was dismissed for a reckless tackle on Alexandre Lacazette.

Lyon continue to chase the leaders as they finish the weekend in 4^th spot with a game in hand, while Rennes slip one place below.

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

There was another narrow victory at the Stade Geoffroy-Guichard where Guingamp were defeated by Saint-Étienne.

The visitors had been enjoying a good run of form but the loss saw them drop to 6^th, just one point above Les Verts in 8^th place.

Romain Hamouma scored the only goal of the game in the 25^th-minute, but Saint-Étienne will consider themselves lucky not to have conceded. Moustapha Diallo hit the crossbar for Guingamp before Nill de Pauw came close and Les Verts’ goalkeeper Stephane Ruffier was forced into action on two occasions by Yannis Salibur.

Paris Saint-Germain 2-2 Nice Venue – Parc des Princes

An enthralling match at the Parc des Princes saw PSG come from two goals down to salvage a point against Nice.

Les Aiglons started the better of the two sides and fought for a two-goal lead at half-time. Wylan Cyprien scored the opener which, at the time, was against the run of play. The Frenchman struck a free-kick from the edge of the area past Alphonse Areola. The home crowd were silenced once more in first half stoppage time when Alassane Plea brought the ball down in the box before slotting home Nice’s second.

PSG needed a fast response in the second period and they got it through the ever reliable Edinson Cavani. The Uruguayan took up his usual position on the six yard box to convert Serge Aurier’s delivery. Les Parisians were back on level terms on the hour mark and it was Cavani again, capitalising on an error from Yoan Cardinale as he was presented with an open net.

Nice reclaimed the top spot but their lead has been cut to one point by Monaco, while PSG remain four points off the pace in 3^rd.