Ligue 1 Weekend Review

Result of the week to Les Gones, who are on an impressive run of form.

This week saw fewer goals, as apparently all of the scoring from last week was too much to be repeated. Almost all of the title contenders stumbled a bit, leading to interesting things at the top of the table as the race has tightened a bit. Once again I need to reiterate that watching Ligue 1 matches with French commentary is highly entertaining. At one point during the match the sideline commentator was sitting on the PSG bench asking Ludovic Giuly his opinion on the next substitution. When the change was made and Giuly saw that his guess had been wrong, he audibly let out a “SHIT!” and began laughing hysterically, which prompted the commentators in the booth to begin laughing as well. Just entertaining stuff right there.

The result of the week goes to Lyon, who moved to the top of the Ligue 1 table with their 2-1 victory over Rennes. Les Gones have been impressive lately as they look to regain their title from Les Girondins, but they still have a little work to do.

Saturday, March 3rd:

Bordeaux 1-2 Nancy – Les Girondins held 79% of the possession and took 16 shots (only putting 2 on frame) while only committing 10 fouls in a clean and clinical display. All of that did them no good, however, as they lost this match for a loss in all 3 of their competitions in a row (Coupe de La Ligue, Champions League, Ligue 1). Nancy started more quickly, with Feret sending a lob just wide in the 5th minute and N’Diaye having his volley deflected wide a few minutes later. Their persistence paid off in the 18th minute when Hadji sent a cross from Dia into the back of the net. That seemed to wake up Bordeaux, as they dominated long stretches of the match from that point forward. Gourcuff forced a save from Nancy GK Bracigliano in the 22nd minute, and in the 28th minute the former sent in a corner that was headed on by Diarra for the equalizer from Cavenaghi. They should have taken the lead in the 34th minute, but the brilliant volley from Fernando hit the post for the final opportunity of the half. Things began far more slowly after the restart, with the first chance coming near the hour mark when yet another volley, this time from Bellion, hit the post yet again. The club would pay for their misses in the 72nd minute when N’Diaye capped off an excellent solo run by slaloming Bordeaux defenders Chalme and Henrique to finish easily for the match-winner (earning the GSTGC award in the process). Things got worse for Les Girondins in the 79th minute when GK Carrasso was injured but was forced to stay on the pitch as all 3 substitutes had already been used. His teammates still had a chance at an equalizer in stoppage time, but Diarra was turned away by Bracigliano.

Grenoble 1-2 Lorient – Despite their continued miserable season, Grenoble are not yet mathematically relegated, and they actually showed some signs of life in this match. They opened the scoring in the 3rd minute when Akrour took down a cross from Matsui and sent a header over Lorient GK Audard. He could have had a brace in the 16th minute, but sent his shot wide of goal. On the other end of the pitch Gameiro was denied by Grenoble GK Maubleu (who appears to have taken over the starting role in light of almost assured relegation) on the half-hour mark, but the former would not be denied 2 minutes later when he took a pass from Amalfitano and lobbed the latter. The second half began in a similar manner to the first, with Akrour peppering shots at the Lorient goal, twice denied by Audard and once by the woodwork. After a lengthy period of a lack of offense Amalfitano was denied by Maubleu while Akrour had a header tipped over the bar by Audard. Grenoble saw their woes continue in the 87th minute when Fanchone finished off a pass from Ducasse for the late match-winner.

Nice 0-0 Sochaux – Nice and Sochaux fought to a nil-nil draw despite the latter maintaining 64% of the possession while also starting the inexperienced GK Dreyer. In the 3rd minute Bagayoko had a shot deflected off the goal line, but Nice continued to look for a quick start, with Hellebuyck drawing a save from Dreyer. A few minutes later Ideye Brown was denied by Nice GK Ospina, and then both sides settled into a slower passing game. Boudebouz was denied by Ospina just before the half ended, while Hellebuyck opened the second stanza quickly with a free-kick that was punched clear by Dreyer. Just after the hour mark a well-struck volley from Pujol went just over the crossbar. The clubs continued to trade chances, as Bagayoko and Fae were then turned away by Dreyer. There was a final opportunity for a match-winner in the 88th minute, but Hellebuyck sent his shot over the crossbar.

Rennes 1-2 Lyon – Lyon continued their excellent week by getting a crucial victory when many of their rivals slipped. Claude Puel made the decision to rest Cris, Toulalan, Gomis and Delgado in preparation for the return leg against Bordeaux in the Champions League, and his faith in his club was rewarded with a physical effort that saw them commit 19 fouls and take 15 shots (putting 6 on goal). Their first effort came in the 6th minute when a shot from Pjanic rebounded out to Kallstrom, who sent it on to Ederson for a header just wide of goal. However, it was Rennes who got the first goal in the 15th minute when Lyon GK Lloris saved a shot from Briand only for Gyan Asamoah to send home the follow-up. The remainder of the half saw Les Gones motivated, with Gonalons, Bastos and Ederson all denied by Rennes GK Douchez. After Marveaux was denied by Lloris to open the second half, Lyon once again pressed forward and they were rewarded with the equalizer in the 53rd minute when Bastos took a nice pass from Pjanic and dribbled through the defense for a clinical finish. The lead was theirs just 8 minutes later when Lopez headed home a cross from Ederson. Rennes had a final chance to salvage the points in the 80th minute, but Marveaux had his free-kick stopped by Lloris.

Saint-Etienne 2-0 Le Mans – With Les Verts almost putting more shots on goal (9) than Le Mans took (10) all match, this was a well-deserved result. It was Le Mans who began more quickly, with a free-kick from Corchia deflected, forcing Saint-Etienne GK Janot into a great save, and Lamah denied by Janot as well. The action shifted to the other end of the pitch as Payet sent a shot wide while a header from Diakhate elicited a fantastic save from Le Mans GK Ovono. The second half began with a header from Matuidi that hit the post, with a shot from Bergession punched clear by Ovono shortly thereafter. The latter was at fault in the 55th minute when his poor clearance on a corner from Payet fell to Bergessio, who headed it on to Varrault for the finish. The final goal arrived after a long lull, with Benalouane finishing off a long pass from Payet in the 76th minute. Saint-Etienne finished the match on a sour note when Mirallas received a straight RC in the 83rd minute for elbowing Corchia.

Valenciennes 1-0 Lille – Lille’s title hopes were dealt a serious blow by a late match-winner that reflected the even nature of this tilt. In the 3rd minute a shot from Gervinho drew a great save from Valenciennes GK Penneteau, who also did well to deny the follow-up shot from Balmont. Midway through the first half Chedjou sent a header hard off the crossbar, while near the end of that half a shot from Cabaye elicited another great save from Penneteau, who stopped Frau as well 1 minute later. The second half also saw chances for both clubs, with Kadir shooting barely wide and Penneteau stopping a free-kick from Cabaye. The match-winner came in the 80th minute when a cross from Ducourtious found Samassa waiting at the far post.

Montpellier 0-0 Monaco – This match saw both sides frustrated, leading to 24 fouls from each club, despite taking a combined 27 shots. The 6th minute saw a free-kick from Montano turned away by Monaco GK Ruffier, while the latter’s teammate Perez hit the crossbar with his volley a few minutes later. Ruffier was by far the busier netminder in the first half, having to deny Ait Fana twice and Costa once before the break. The latter started off the second half by forcing Ruffier into two more saves, and the Monaco GK kept up his excellent work by denying a header from Montano with a fantastic effort to keep the clean sheet. 10 minutes later it was the turn of Montpellier GK Jourdren to impress, as he denied a shot from Coutadeur after a deflection. The southern side thought they had broken through in the waning moments of the match to keep up their title hopes when Camara received a pass from Montano and dribbled around Ruffier to easily slot his shot home, but he was (seemingly incorrectly) adjudged to have been offsides.

Sunday, April 4th:

Boulogne 1-1 Toulouse – This match was even throughout, and the sharing of points was the deserved result although Boulogne will rue the late equalizer that cost them an important 2 points. Things began slowly, and the first chance didn’t come until the 17th minute when Congre sent his header over the crossbar. Soon afterward the action was at the other end of the pitch as a header from Dembele was cleared off the line by Toulouse defender Didot, who then blocked the follow-up attempt from Kapo. The opening goal came in the 36th minute on a counter-attack when a well-weighted pass from Thil found Kapo, who then dribbled around Toulouse GK Blondel. The second half began with a header from Marcq that was turned away by Blondel, with Kapo missing on his follow-up attempt. The pace slowed again, with the next opportunity for either side coming in the 80th minute when a shot from Gignac elicited a good save from Boulogne GK Bedenik. The equalizer arrived in the 88th minute when a cross from Kazim-Richards saw a poor clearance from Boulogne defender Dembele, allowing Braaten to find the back of the net.

Marseille 1-0 Lens – Marseille made the most of their few chances, pushing their unbeaten streak to 8 matches in Ligue 1. The pace of the match was slow throughout, with the first chance coming in the 22nd minute and resulting in a goal as Brandao headed home a corner from Gonzalez. The second half saw a bit more action, starting in the 51st minute when Heinze forced a save from Lens GK Runje who then stopped the follow-up from Valbuena. In the 63rd minute Jemaa beat the offside trap but was stopped 1-on-1 by Marseille GK Mandanda. L’OM went down to 10 men in the 75th minute when Mbia clashed with Jemaa in mid-air and received a straight RC (the first of the season for Marseille). Lens pressed their advantage but were denied the equalizer in the 87th minute Demont was stopped by Mandanda for the final opportunity of the match.

Auxerre 1-1 Paris Saint-Germain – Auxerre took 22 shots but only managed to put 5 on frame while failing to move to the top of the table. They began quickly, as Pedretti drew a good save from PSG GK Edel in the 5th minute. Just 3 minutes later it was a diving header from Niculae that forced Edel into a great save, and it seemed clear that a goal was coming. It arrived in the 11th minute when a pass from Jelen saw an excellent chest control from Niculae who fired home in between 2 PSG defenders. The equalizer arrived soon after that, as a cross from Hoarau saw a shot from Erdinq turned away by a great save from Auxerre GK Sorin only to fall to Sankhare for the easy finish in the open net. The pace of the match slowed considerably, as much of the action took place in the middle third of the pitch. Mid-way through the second half Jelen missed two chances to give Auxerre the lead, first volleying over the crossbar and then volleying wide. The final opportunity to take the lead came in the 81st minute when a header from Niculae hit the post and the match ended with PSG gaffer Antoine Kombouare sent to the stands for arguing with the 4th official.

So, after Matchday 31 the top of the table looks like this: (1) Lyon, with 57 points on a 16-9-6 record and a +19 goal differential; (2) Montpellier, with 57 points on a 17-6-8 record and a +7 goal differential; (3) Auxerre, with 57 points on a 16-9-6 record and a +6 goal differential; (4) Bordeaux, with 56 points on a 17-5-7 record and a +22 goal differential; and (5) Marseille, with 56 points on a 16-8-5 record and a +21 goal differential. It should be noted that both Bordeaux and Marseille have 2 games in hand.