Ligue 1 Weekend Review

Result of the week to Stade Malherbe Caen, moving out of the drop zone.

This week saw a lot of frustration boiling over, with several dismissals on RCs and accumulated YCs.

Lille and PSG got needed results, while the Olympique sides (Marseille and Lyon) stumbled a bit. Things are tight in Ligue 1 at the top and the bottom. The league title, Champions League spots, and Europa League all are still undecided, while half of the league is still in danger of relegation.

The result of the week goes to Caen, who got a dominant 4-0 victory over Nice to move out of the drop zone.

Saturday, April 30th:

Lens 2-3 Lorient – Les Merlus played the more technical, efficient match, but it still took two very late goals to come away with the full points here. Lens had the first opportunity, but Akale sent his wide of the mark, and in the 20th minute Lorient took the lead when Gameiro received a pass from Romao and finished well while 1-on-1 with Lens GK Runje. However, the equalizer didn’t take long to arrive, as in the 34th minute a long-range shot from Demont seemed to fool Lorient GK Audard. Just 2 minutes later Lens went in front when Eduardo headed home a cross from Akale. They continued their pressure after the break, with Jemaa sending a volley barely over the crossbar and Akale having an effort blocked at the last moment. In the 72nd minute another shot from Akale drew a very good save from Audard, and the netminder was rewarded for his performance in the 83rd when Sunu lobbed a pass over Runje to be finished into the empty net by Gameiro. Although Lorient might have been content with the draw, they were gifted the match-winner in the 92nd minute when the tireless Gameiro was brought down in the area by Keita, with Amalfitano sending home the resulting PK.

Lille 5-0 Arles – With Lille pushing to regain first place in Ligue 1 and Arles already relegated, this match was always going to feature goals, but Les Dogues put together an absolute masterclass on the pitch. Taking 21 shots (7 of those on frame) during their 69% of the possession, the side also played clean, committing only 10 fouls (compared to 21 for a frustrated Arles side). They got off to a perfect start in the 6th minute when Debuchy picked off an errant pass and played in Gervinho for the finish from close-range. Somehow, Arles managed to fend off their opponents for almost the remainder of the half, but in the 45th minute Gameiro took a pass from Hazard and dribbled around Arles GK Merville to complete his brace (earning the GSTGC award in the process). Arles were well and truly done almost immediately after the restart when Soro was called for a handball in the area, with Debuchy coolly slotting home the ensuing PK. If that wasn’t bad enough, they were beyond all hope for even a consolation goal in the 58th minute when Correze received his 2nd YC, sending the side down to 10 men that they promptly sat behind the ball. A minute later Correze was followed by Arles gaffer Faruk Hadzibegic, who was sent to the stands for his protestations. Despite having parked the bus in an attempt to avoid further embarrassment, the cellar-dwellers were undone by a set-piece in the 84th minute when Cabaye found the back of the net with his free-kick. To make matters even worse, in the 89th minute former PSG man Rozehnal beat the offside trap and lobbed Merville for what is surely the defender’s first-ever goal in Ligue 1 (checks Wikipedia – REALLY!?! His second Ligue 1 goal, then).

Rennes 0-0 Bordeaux – A dire nil-nil draw did neither side any favors, as Rennes struggle for Champions League football while Bordeaux have their eye on the Europa League. The clubs combined to have the same number of shots on goal as offsides infractions (4 total), with very few threatening opportunities. In the 4th minute a shot from Boukari drew a save from Bordeaux GK Carrasso, while at the other end of the pitch Wendel sent a volley wide of the mark. That proved to be the extent of the offense for most of the offense, with the next chance not coming until the 40th minute when Plasil was denied by Rennes GK Douchez. The best chance of the match came on the hour-mark when a flick from Danze deflected off Bordeaux defender Diarra, forcing Carrasso into an excellent save. Each club had a final opportunity to steal the points, but a free-kick from Wendel was easily stopped by Douchez and Mangane sent his header over the crossbar.

Sochaux 1-0 Nancy – Les Lionceaux took advantage of the struggles of Les Girondins, with a win putting them closer to Europa League competition. Although Nancy started more brightly, with Hadji hitting the post in the 10th minute, it wasn’t long before Sochaux asserted themselves, taking the lead in the 11th minute when Butin made a dazzling run through the heart of the Nancy defense. The 21st minute saw Sochaux GK Richert called into action to deny a shot from Diakite, and a few minutes later the former also turned away a good effort from Brison. The match could have turned in the 56th minute when Sauget was whistled for a handball in the area, but Traore sent the resulting PK straight at Richert. Still, Nancy persisted, with a header from Luiz skimming the post on its way over the endline in the 58th minute. At the other end of the pitch a volley from Boudebouz was turned away by Nancy GK Gregorini, but the latter’s teammates wasted their final opportunity for an equalizer late in the match when Hadji sent his header into the arms of Richert.

Paris Saint-Germain 3-1 Valenciennes – This match was fairly even statistically (with the exception of corner kicks, as PSG earned 10 compared to only 2 for Valenciennes), but it was clear to everyone that it was the club from the capital who were in charge of the proceedings. In the 9th minute Giuly had his volley deflected, but the opening goal arrived just a minute later when Nene slammed home a shot after some poor defending. Valenciennes could have equalized in the 18th minnute, but the shot from Kadir was denied by the woodwork. That proved to be a crucial miss, as in the 22nd minute the lead was 2-0 when a corner from Nene was headed on by Sahko for the clinical finish from Bodmer. To their credit, Valenciennes did not fold, and they were rewarded in the 44th minute when Pujol took a pass from Bong and found the back of the net. The talk at the break must have been intense in the PSG dressing room, particularly as gaffer Antoine Kombouare was eager to get his 3rd win of the season over his former side, because Les Parisiens came out with a renewed vigor (or maybe they were just inspired by the 500 female fans who won a free ticket contest on Facebook). Hoarau, Nene and Bodmer all rampaged forward to keep the pressure on the defense, and they were bolstered with the 70th-minute entrance of Clement and Baheback. The latter, in particular, continued to impress, stepping in ably for a tired Ludo Giuly and quickly making a nuisance of himself. The final goal came in the 88th minute when a shot-cum-cross from Nene was turned in by the hard-working Sahko for a deserved goal of his own.

Sunday, May 1st:

Marseille 1-1 Auxerre – Although they dominated the match, holding 66% of the possession and taking 20 shots (with 9 of those on frame), L’OM could only come away with the draw and will be disappointed to have slipped back into 2nd place. In the 13th minute surprise starter Jordan Ayew dribbled through much of the defense only to see his shot denied by Auxerre GK Sorin. Just a minute later Marseille were denied shouts for a PK when Hengbart appeared to handle the ball in the area with the infraction not being called. Les Phoceens continued to apply pressure, and in the 32nd minute a close-range volley from Lucho Gonzalez was turned away by a fantastic save from the busy Sorin. The opening goal came in the 56th minute when some good work down the left from Andre Ayew saw him send in a cross that was deflected directly to the feet of Valbuena for the easy finish. Still, Marseille were relentless, and on the hour mark Cheyrou was denied by Sorin. The latter’s wonderful efforts throughout the match were finally rewarded with the equalizer in the 77th minute when Jung beat the offside trap and put his finish between the legs of Marseille GK Mandanda. There was a final opportunity to retake the lead in the 89th minute, but Gignac sent his header straight at Sorin for the netminder’s easiest save of the match.

Montpellier 0-0 Brest – Despite their phenomenal start to the season, Brest are barely above the relegation zone on the heels of another dire nil-nil draw. Montpellier, for their part, know how their opponents feel, having failed to capitalize on their own good start just last year. In the 11th minute a shot from Licka was turned away by Montpellier GK Jourdren, who then did very well to save the follow-up effort from Ayite. That proved to be the last good chance of the match for a sagging Brest, and Montpellier began to assert themselves. Dernis sent a free-kick barely wide of the mark, and just a few minutes later a cross/shot from Estrada skimmed the post on its way over the endline. In the 75th minute Dernis had a shot saved by Elana, but 10 minutes later the netminder was picking the ball out of the back of his net. Unfortunately for Montpellier, the brilliant long-range strike from Estrada had been taken after a whistle for a foul, and thus the goal was denied. Sadly, that was their final opportunity of the match and the clubs had to share the points.

Nice 0-4 Caen – The battle between relegation-threatened clubs proved to be one-sided despite being statistically even, with Caen moving into a 5-way tie (with Nice one of those) just above the drop. Things didn’t really get going until the 28th minute, when Pejcinovic sent a header over the crossbar. Caen opened the scoring in the 34th minute, with Hamouma finishing off a cross from Nivet. The match turned in first-half stoppage time when Civelli (already on a YC) saw a straight RC for a nasty foul on Mollo when he was the last defender, with the latter taking the ultimate revenge by sending home the resulting free-kick. Nice responded well after the break, with Ljuboja and Diakite both forcing good saves from Caen GK Thebaux. That seemed to wake up the latter’s teammates, with El Arabi turned away by Nice GK Ospina in the 72nd minute. That renewed pace paid off in the 89th minute when a shot from Traore was blocked, only to see Hamouma complete his brace by sending the follow-up through the legs of Ospina. The destruction was complete in the 91st minute when El Arabi slammed a hard shot into the top corner to get a well-deserved goal of his own.

Toulouse 2-0 Lyon – Les Gones wasted the chance to close the gap with the top two, falling meekly to a Toulouse club that could only hold 37% of the possession. The match started at a more measured pace, with the first good opportunity resulting in a goal in the 29th minute as Cetto headed home a free-kick from Tabanou. The lead should have been doubled in the next minute, but Braaten was stopped by Lyon GK Lloris. Shortly before the break Bastos attempted a long-range shot that was easily taken by Toulouse GK Ahamada, and the clubs went into the break still wary of one another. On the hour-mark Tabanou was stopped by Lloris, with the former also seeing his follow-up effort cleared off the line. Things then disintegrated for Lyon, as Bastos received 2 YCs in the 64th minute for a foul and his vociferous dissent, sending his club down to 10 men. It got worse just 4 minutes later as an attempted clearance from Cissokho resulted in an OG, with his netminder Lloris watching the lob over his head in frustration. A miserable evening for Cissokho was ended in the 86th minute when he received a straight RC for a bad challenge on Braaten, and Lyon walked off the pitch humiliated.

Saint-Etienne 1-1 Monaco – Les Verts held 70% of the possession and earned 12 corner kicks (compared to just 2 for Monaco), but Les Monegasques continued their move away from the relegation zone with a hard-fought draw. Indeed, it was the club from the principality that almost got off to a perfect start when Hansson sent a diving header barely wide of the mark. Les Vert took the lead in the 11th minute when Payet volleyed home a cross from Riviere, and Sako nearly doubled the lead just a few minutes later when his volley skimmed the wrong side of the post. Monaco struck back on the half-hour, with Welcome finding the back of the net on a cross from Bonnart. Monaco were forced to make a change in net on the half, as with the final kick GK Ruffier strained his groin, but they started the second half well, with Welcome forcing a good save from ASSE GK Janot just after the break. Monaco looked to be in trouble on the hour-mark when Kurzawa received a 2nd YC for a poor tackle on Payet, and indeed Saint-Etienne began to press their advantage. However, they were denied several times by Monaco defender Hansson, with the latter blocking a shot from Alonso and then clearing another effort from the same off the line to end the match.

So, after Matchday 33 the top of the table looks like this: (1) Lille, with 63 points on a 17-12-4 record and a +28 goal differential; (2) Marseille, with 62 points on a 17-11-5 record and a +21 goal differential; (3) Lyon, with 56 points on a 15-11-7 record and a +22 goal differential; and (4) Paris Saint-Germain, with 56 points on a 15-11-7 record and a +6 goal differential.