Ligue 1 Weekend Review

Result of the week goes to Les Verts for their big win over Montpellier.

This weekend saw less scoring on Saturday and an offensive explosion on Sunday, but still no candidates for the GSTGC award.

The match between Bordeaux and Auxerre was postponed so that Les Girondins could prepare for their Champions League match against Olympiakos on Tuesday, so the top of the table looks a little different.

The result of the week goes to Saint-Etienne, as Les Verts stunned high-flying Montpellier 1-0 to improve their chances of avoiding relegation.

Saturday, February 20th:

Boulogne 1-3 Le Mans – Despite almost double the number of shots (13, compared to 7 for Le Mans) and a quicker start, Boulogne was unable to capitalize on their chances and it took a late goal to make the scoreline respectable. In the 4th minute Cuvillier drew a nice save from Le Mans GK Ovono, while 2 minutes later Boulogne GK Bedenik stopped Dossevi. The action switched ends again, with a diving header from Ramare eliciting a nice save right on the goal-line from Ovono in the 11th minute. The first goal came on the half-hour mark as Dossevi pounced on a loose ball and sent home a long-range shot. It took only 2 minutes for the lead to double as a poor clearance on a corner was controlled by Cerdan for a finish from close for the final action of the first half. The second half started slowly, with the first opportunity coming in the 60th minute as a wonderful volley from Cuvillier was well-saved by Ovono, who then also turned away a free-kick from Marcq. Boulogne gained some hope in the 72nd minute after Yatabare finished off some good work from Thil and Lorca to make it 2-1, but that was their last chance of the match. Le Tallec had a shot skim over the crossbar in the 81st minute, but he turned provider in stoppage time for Maiga to get the club’s third goal of the match.

Grenoble 0-1 Valenciennes – Everyone is running out of words to describe Grenoble’s miserable season as they fall to yet another defeat despite taking more shots and earning more corner kicks than Valenciennes. In the 5th minute Saez sent his shot into the side-netting as both sides seemed hesitant. Calve thought that he had earned a lucky goal for Grenoble shortly thereafter, but his cross/shot hit the intersection of the post and the crossbar to bounce away harmlessly. His teammate Dieuze then drew a save from Valenciennes GK Penneteau as the clubs continued to struggle for legitimate scoring chances. The lone goal of the match came in the 32nd minute when Sanchez Moreno sent home a header on a free-kick from Mater. The equalizer should have come 3 minutes later when Cesar sent in a header off a Batlles free-kick, but Penneteau was well-positioned to make the save. Almost immediately after the restart ben Khalfallah sent a shot wide for what would be Valenciennes’ final opportunity of the match. Grenoble then began to exert continued pressure, with Matsui heading wide just before the hour mark. They had two final opportunities for an equalizer, but a volley from Akrour was stopped by Penneteau, and the latter did an excellent job stopping Ravet 1-on-1 near the very end of the match to preserve the 3 points for his side.

Lens 3-0 Monaco – The club from the principality dominated the statistics in this match, but it was Lens who converted their scoring chances into goals for the victory. In the midst of a snowstorm it was the former who started more quickly, with Maazou stopped by Lens GK Runje before sending his header over the crossbar a few minutes later. Continued pressure saw a free-kick from Nene over the crossbar as well, and then the wheels came off. The first goal came in the 31st minute when Jemaa headed home a free-kick from Roudet, and the next arrived just before the half when Roudet found the back of the net with a well-placed shot. Shortly after the restart Jemaa was fouled in the box by Traore (but which one, you might ask!?!), and Bedimo sent home the resulting PK. From that point on Monaco seemed disinterested in the match, with only Nene making serious attempts on goal (although he was stopped by Runje both times) on either side of an effort from Jemaa that went just wide.

Nice 1-0 Lorient – Nice got their first win since November, although it is unlikely that the result will save embattled gaffer Didier Ollé-Nicolle. An early free-kick from ben Saada was turned away by Lorient GK Audard, while on the other end of the pitch Nice GK Ospina denied a shot from Fanchone. To their credit, Nice continued to pressure with Remy and ben Saada both drawing saves from Audard (although ben Saada’s free-kick was taken straight into the GK’s arms). Remy continued his excellent play after the restart, taking a hard shot in the 50th minute that Audard did well to punch clear. He was rewarded in the 57th minute when Bagayoko was fouled in the box and Remy sent home the resulting PK. Lorient were unable to generate any offense at all in the second half, and the last opportunity of the match for either club came late when a wonderful volley from Mounier saw an excellent save from Audard.

Saint-Etienne 1-0 Montpellier – Les Verts played a clean, technical, and efficient match to stun Montpellier and move further clear of the drop zone. They started quickly, as a volley from Payet brought about a great save from Montpellier GK Jourdren. The latter’s teammates began to push back, with Costa shooting over the crossbar and Montano sending a shot just wide of the post. The last opportunity of the half saw a header from Bergessio stopped by Jourdren. After the break Montano was denied twice by Saint-Etienne GK Janot, and the latter was rewarded when Riviere headed home from a Matuidi cross for the match-winner. Montpellier were unable to muster any response, and the match ended with a chance for another goal for Les Verts as Payet was denied by Jourdren.

Paris Saint-Germain 1-0 Toulouse – PSG finally turned in the dominant performance that their supporters have been begging for, taking 24 shots (although only 6 were on frame) after Toulouse were sent down to 10 men. Le Tef started more quickly with Kazim-Richards forcing saves from PSG GK Edel in the 11th and 19th minutes, but disaster soon struck. The 23rd minute saw Ebondo receive a straight RC for a foul on Luyindula in the box, with Toulouse protesting that the striker had taken a dive. Hoarau stepped up and slotted home the resulting PK for what turned out to be the match-winner. He almost had a brace in the 28th minute, but sent his header over the bar, while Kazim-Richards sent a well-struck volley wide 10 minutes before the break. The second half saw PSG firmly in control, with Erdinq eliciting a great save from Toulouse GK Pele in the 51st minute. The latter’s club saw their only opportunity half go wanting shortly after when Capoue hit the post with a header. The match ended with Pele under siege, as he turned away Giuly twice and made a final save against Jallet in stoppage time.

Sunday, February 21st:

Marseille 3-1 Nancy – Nancy was completely unable to deal with the rampaging Mamadou Niang as the Senegalese striker’s hat-trick undid Les Chardons. His first goal came in the 10th minute when he headed home a cross from Kabore. Nancy responded well, as Dia drove down the left side and then crossed to Luiz for an easy tap-in in the 13th minute, but after that the rout was on. In the 22nd minute Niang hit the crossbar with a header, but he was not to be denied for long as a cross from Taiwo found him for the finish to complete his brace in the 34th minute. Nancy pushed back yet again, but a shot from Alo’o Efoulou drew a great save from L’OM GK Mandanda just before the break. Niang completed his hat-trick in the 67th minute when he finished off an excellent through-ball from Gonzalez. The latter could have made the damage even worse a few minutes later, but his volley sailed over the crossbar. Nancy had a final opportunity late in the match but Alo’o Efoulou was once again turned away by Mandanda.

Sochaux 0-4 Lyon – In another offensive outburst for the day, Michel Bastos poured in a hat-trick of his own for Lyon in a complete dismantling of a Sochaux side that looked inept throughout the match. The carnage began early as Bastos sent a free-kick through the legs of teammate Boumsong and into the bottom corner of the net in the 5th minute. His next goal came in the 25th minute when Gomis collected a poor pass from sochaux defender Brechet and played him through for the finish. The hat-trick was complete just 1 minute later after some good work from Ederson lead to a cross that was volleyed home. The latter almost had a goal of his own almost immediately after the restart, but Sochaux GK Richert was alert to make the save on his free-kick. In the 55th minute a cheeky backheel from Sverkos saw Sochaux’s first chance of the match go wide. A free-kick from Martin was then saved by Lyon GK Lloris on the hour mark, and the latter also watched a header from Brown sail over the crossbar soon after. The final goal of the match came when Lisandro Lopez collected a poor backpass from Sochaux defender Josse and finished coolly in the 80th minute.

Rennes 1-2 Lille – Les Dogues kept pace with the other title challengers, getting early and late goals to secure the 3 points in a crucial away match. The first goal came in the 10th minute when Frau finished off his good run to the edge of the box with a low shot that left Rennes GK Douchez little chance. Soon after a free-kick from Marveaux was well-stopped by Lille GK Landreau, but the latter was unable to stop a nice move from Leroy in the 26th minute for the equalizer. Lille had a moment of concern in the 38th minute when Gervinho had to be subbed off after a collision with Bocanegra, but substitute Obraniak drew a save from Douchez just before the half. The pressure continued after the restart as Frau sent a shot into the side-netting, but Rennes applied pressure as well, with Leroy and Mangane forcing saves from Landreau. The match-winner came in the 89th minute when a shot from Dumont was pushed out by Douchez to a waiting Aubameyang, who easily sent the rebound crashing into the back of the net.

So, after matchday 25 the top of the table looks like this: (1) Bordeaux, with 51 points on a 16-3-5 record and a +22 goal differential; (2) Montpellier, with 48 points on a 15-3-7 record and a +7 goal differential; (3) Lille, with 47 points on a 14-5-6 record and a +23 goal differential; and (4) Lyon, with 46 points on a 13-7-5 record and a +15 goal differential.