Ligue 1 Weekend Review

Top of the Ligue!

This weekend saw a lot of teams make a statement about their perceived place in the table, with some of the traditional powers beginning to right themselves.

The result of the week goes to Stade Rennais, who moved into 1st place in Ligue 1 with an emphatic 3-1 win over fellow Top-4 side Toulouse.

Sadly, however, this week failed to produce a winner for the coveted Goal-Scorer to Get Carded award. Try to contain your tears.

Saturday, October 2nd:

Arles 0-4 Auxerre – The first match in charge for new Arles gaffer Faruk Hadzibegis saw a bit of “plus ça change, plus c’est la même chose” with the club maintaining their total of 0 points. Auxerre, in contrast, got just the medicine they needed in this match, as facing the relegation-zone club allowed them to come away with their first win of the season. After early shots wide from Langil and Dudka, the opening goal arrived in the 18th minute when a cross from Hengbart was headed on by Pedretti, which Arles GK Plante saved only to see Traore put in the follow-up. With Arles unable to muster even 1 shot on goal (despite earning 5 corners), the pace of the match slowed considerably, with the next action coming in the 44th minute when another cross from Hengbart was put in by Pedretti. In the 55th minute Counout hit the post, but it didn’t take him long to convert as he headed home still another cross from Hengbart in the 58th minute. The former was then denied a brace by the busy Plante, who also stopped Quercia in the 82nd minute only to see Birsa find the back of the net with his follow-up.

Bordeaux 1-0 Lorient – Les Girondins have struggled so far in this season, and this match was no different, although their physical play (22 fouls, compared to 15 committed by Lorient) allowed them to come away with the full points. Lorient almost got off to the perfect start, as in the 2nd minute Gameiro sent in a shot that forced Bordeaux GK Carrasso into an outstanding save. The same players were involved again just 2 minutes later, with the result also being the same. Bordeaux didn’t wake up until the 20th minute, with a pass from Plasil seeing a volley from Gouffran hit the post. The lone goal of the match arrived in the 26th minute as Ciani collected a wayward ball and lobbed Lorient GK Audard from 30 yards. The latter limited the damage in the 43rd minute by turning away by Plasil, and the netminder was happy to watch shots from Wendel and Maazou go wide just after the restart. In the 77th minute a cross from Jussie was well cut out by Audard, and then Wendel (Bordeaux) and Romao (Lorient) received YCs for being mean. There was a final opportunity to earn the draw, but Kitambala saw his shot saved by Carrasso in the 81st minute.

Monaco 0-1 Brest – The newcomers continue to make a strong statement, this time riding the performance of Brest GK Elana in the face of 13 shots (7 on frame) and only 40% of the possession. The netminder has been brilliant to start the top-flight campaign, and an aggressive Monaco side could not find a way past him. Their efforts began in the 11th minute, when a volley from Niculae drew the first save from Elana, who then turned the former away again just 2 minutes later. Although the club from the principality bossed the midfield, they became complacent, and the next opportunity came in the 41st minute when Roux forced Monaco GK Ruffier into his first action of the match. Almost immediately after the restart N’Koulou unleashed a long-range rocket that drew a phenomenal save from Elana, who then watched Roux turned away yet again at the other end of the pitch by Ruffier. In the 66th minute a free-kick from Coutadeur was easily dealt with by Elana, and his efforts on the day were rewarded in the 71st minute when Grougi finished off a cross from Licka with a shot that probably should have been dealt with by Audard. A final chance to equalize came in the 88th minute, but the free-kick from Park was turned away by the scintillating Elana.

Nancy 2-3 Lyon – Les Gones were outplayed for significant portions of this match, but in the end their majority of the possession (58%, compared to 42% for Nancy) allowed them to have the final word. Nancy started far more quickly, as shots from Bakari (who was a 9th-minute substitution for Vahirua after an injury) and Feret went wide. As was seemingly the pattern for this weekend’s matches, the pace then slowed considerably, with the next chance resulting in a goal on Lyon’s first real attack through Gourcuff and Briand, with a finish from Lisandro Lopez in the 37th minute. The lead was 2-0 in the 55th minute when Briand headed home a free-kick from Gourcuff, but Nancy pulled a goal back just 2 minutes later when Andre Luiz headed home a free-kick from Gavanon. The equalizer arrived in the 70th minute when Lyon GK Lloris flapped at a high ball in the area, allowing Feret to find the back of the net. The netminder redeemed himself in the 73rd minute, turning away a shot from Hadji, and just 2 minutes later Briand had his brace after a cross from Cissokhko and an error from Nancy GK Bracigliano. The latter’s teammates had a chance to spare his blushes in the 86th minute, but after Lloris turned away a shot from Brison, the follow-up was put over the crossbar by Feret.

Sochaux 3-0 Lens – Sochaux were efficient in this match (11 shots, 7 on frame, 3 goals) and came away with a well-deserved 3 points. However, it was Lens who started more quickly, as Eduardo forced a shot from Sochaux GK Dreyer in just the 6th minute. The action soon shifted to the other end of the pitch, with Maiga moving well through the midfield and sending in a missile from the top of the box in the 13th minute. Near the half-hour mark Ideye was turned away by Lens GK Runje, but the former came off better just before the half when he followed up a shot from Maurice-Belay to find the back of the net. That goal unnerved Lens to the point that both Kovacevic and Demont received YCs in first-half stoppage-time. Immediately after the restart Lens were unlucky not to pull a goal back, as Eduardo lined up for a volley only to have Dreyer take the ball off his foot. Their only other effort of the match came near the hour-mark when Boukari had his shot deflected. The points were well-secured in the 73rd minute when a deflected free-kick found its way to Perquis for the finish.

Valenciennes 2-1 Caen – Valenciennes were by far the more aggressive side here, committing 22 fouls (compared to 10 for Caen) and getting caught offsides 8 times. An early shot from El Arabi went wide, and then the scoring was opened at the other end of the pitch in the 24th minute when Pujol headed home a pass from Ducourtioux. The lead was quickly 2-0, as some good work from Mater was compounded by poor defending, allowing Samassa to find the back of the net. After a volley from Saez went wide, Caen were thankful to get to the break. They began the second half with a shot from Hamouma that forced the only save of the match for Valenciennes GK Penneteau, who was then beaten in the 74th minute when El Arabi was the beneficiary of some good work from Nivet and Hamouma. That would prove to be their final opportunity of the match, and things ended with a volley from Ducourtioux eliciting a save from Caen GK Thebaux in the 88th minute.

Saint-Etienne 1-1 Marseille – In a match that saw strong consideration for the “result of the week” honors, ASSE had the incomparable combination of Payet and Janot to thank for the draw. In the 3rd minute Riviere had a shot cleared off the line by L’OM defender Azpilicueta (who remains useless despite his brief heroics), and that was a signal of intent from Les Verts. In the 16th minute a shot from Payet was turned away by OM GK Mandanda, who then did well to stop a header from Sall in the 21st minute. The opening goal came in the 27th minute when a clearance from Payet hit the referee and bounced directly to Lucho Gonzalez, who then found Gignac in space for the finish. That provided brief momentum, and a few minutes later a shot from Valbuena crashed into the crossbar above ASSE GK Janot. Shortly after the restart Sall sent his header over the crossbar, but the equalizer arrived 10 minutes later when Payet released Matuidi down the left side and the latter’s cross saw Batlles volley home. Marseille increased their pressure in an attempt to earn the full points, but Gignac and Kabore were both turned away by Janot. The final opportunity of the match fell to Matuidi, but his shot was denied by Mandanda.

Sunday, October 3rd:

Lille 3-1 Montpellier – In a match that was fairly even statistically, Lille made the most of their chances and deserved the full points. After an early shot from Sow went wide, the opening goal came in the 19th minute when a free-kick from Cabaye was headed back across by Rami for Sow, whose initial shot was stopped by Montpellier GK Jourdren only for the rebound to fall back to him for an easy finish. The match was tightened in the 23rd minute when Camara was fouled in the box by Debuchy and Giroud finished off the resulting PK. Lille almost struck back immediately through Frau, but his shot was blocked and the follow-up from Sow crashed into the crossbar. It wasn’t long, however, until they retook the lead, as in the 32nd minute Sow received a long ball from Rami and lobbed it over Jourdren to himself for the simple finish. The second half began with Frau drawing a save from Jourdren, but then Montpellier began to push for another equalizer, with Belhanda hitting the post just after the hour-mark. Unfortunately, that left them open to the counter-attack, and the 3 points were secured in the 80th minute when Mavuba and Hazard combined to allow Gervinho an easy finish.

Paris Saint-Germain 0-0 Nice – The club from the capital will feel hard done by after taking 19 shots (putting 6 on frame) and earning 12 corner kicks (compared to 3 for Nice), but in truth the draw was a fair result based on the run of play. In the 11th minute Jallet had a long-range shot stopped by Nice GK Ospina, who then made a fantastic save on an effort from Hoarau in the 26th minute. The latter was again denied by Ospina in the 31st minute. The Nice netminder made a wonderful diving save on a shot from Nene in the 36th minute, but he appeared to injure his shoulder on the play. With his backup Veronese warming up, Ospina struggled to finish out the half, but the break served him well as he was able to finish the match. In the 48th minute Nice had a break stopped by PSG defender Chantome, who then did well to block a shot from Fae near the hour-mark. In the 65th minute Ljuboja sent in a shot from 35 yards that was easily saved by PSG GK Edel, and that turned out to be the last chance of the match for Nice. PSG, for their part, were unable to break through for the full points as Nene was stopped by Ospina around shots wide from Jallet and Sessegnon.

Rennes 3-1 Toulouse – Despite only holding 42% of the possession, Rennes took 14 shots and put 7 of them on frame in an outstanding second-half display. Early in the match M’Vila was denied by Toulouse GK Valverde and Theophile-Catherine sent a shot wide, but the remainder of the half was lackluster for both sides. Shortly after the half-hour mark Braaten drew a great save from Rennes GK Douchez, and the latter’s teammates rewarded his efforts with a goal just before the break as Montano and Marveaux combined well to feed Danze, who finished with a flourish. The second half began with a chip from Ekoko over Valverde that was cleared off the line by Toulouse defender Cetto, after which Montano sent a shot wide. The lead was 2-0 in the 77th minute when a Leroy free-kick found Mangane for the finish, and the rout was complete in the 81st minute when Camara was brought down in the box by an onrushing Valverde and Marveaux finished off the resulting PK. Toulouse were spared the shutout in the 88th minute when Sissoko took advantage of a poor clearance, and the emphatic victory allowed Rennes to vault to the top of the table.

So, after Matchday 8, the top of the table looks like this: (1) Rennes, with 18 points on a 5-3-0 record and a +8 goal differential; (2) Saint-Etienne, with 17 points on a 5-2-1 record and a +6 goal differential; (3) Lille, with 14 points on a 3-5-0 record and a +6 goal differential; and (4) Toulouse, with 14 points on a 4-2-2 record and a +3 goal differential.