Result of the week goes to Les Lionceaux.
This week’s Ligue 1 matches were quite a bit more polite than last week.
There were far fewer YCs issued, no RCs at all, and there fewer fouls committed overall. Perhaps the clubs were given a talking-to after last weekend’s shenanigans.
Although many of the clubs below them either drew or lost, PSG were unable to capitalize when they were held to a draw of their own by Bordeaux. The result of the week goes to FC Sochaux-Montbeliard, who managed a 2-1 win over Lyon.
Saturday, November 5th:
Lille 1-1 Evian – The promoted side continue to surprise, earning the shared points despite a relatively lackluster effort that saw them put only 1 of their 6 shots on frame. They opened the scoring in the 4th minute when the in-form Saber Khalifa sent home a half-volley after a long pass fro Olivier Sorlin, but after that point it was a dominant performance from Les Dogues. The latter club thought they had equalized in the 13th minute when Joe Cole found the back of the net, but he was adjudged offside. Eden Hazard and Cole both came close, but the first half ended with Lille on the back foot. The equalizer arrived in the 63rd minute when a free-kick from Benoit Pedretti bounced awkwardly in the box and skipped into the net. Lille could have taken the full points in stoppage-time, but Sorlin’s near-OG headed clearance went wide.
Sunday, November 6th:
Caen 3-0 Dijon – Despite a game effort from Dijon, this match saw everything go in favor of Caen. The first effort didn’t come until the 25th minute, with a volley from Romain Hamouma drawing a very good save from Dijon GK Baptiste Reynet. The opening goal came in the 36th minute when Gregory Leca headed home a corner from Frederic Bulot, and the latter missed a goal of his own with an effort wide near the hour-mark. The best opportunity for Dijon came in the 65th minute, with a header from Steven Paulle denied by a great save from Caen GK Alexis Thebaux, and just 2 minutes later the lead was 2-0 when Bulot got his goal by finishing off a pass from Hamouma. The points were secured in the 73rd minute when Pierre-Alain Frau headed home a cross from the hard-working Bulot.
Lorient 2-0 Ajaccio – Les Merlus dominated the promoted club, holding 59% of the possession and pouring in 20 shots (8 of which were on frame). In the 9th minute Lamine Kone hit the crossbar with a volley, and the Gilles Sunu follow-up was well-saved by Ajaccio GK Guillermo Ochoa. The latter’s teammate Mehdi Mostefa had a header turned away by Lorient GK Fabien Audard, after which Kevin Monnet-Paquet was denied while 1-on-1 with Ochoa. In the 63rd minute a hard shot from Yann Jouffre rippled the back of the net, while in the 82nd minute Sunu latched onto a poor clearance to tally the other goal.
Marseille 2-0 Nice – The two southern sides both needed a win here, but it was Marseille who put on the far better performance. The first few minutes saw a header from Mathieu Valbuena go barely over the crossbar and Andre-Pierre Gignac elicit a good save from Nice GK David Ospina. After a volley from Fabrice Abriel hit the crossbar, Nice finally got an opportunity only to see a header from Eric Mouloungui hit the crossbar as well. The opening goal came in the 72nd minute when Jordan Ayew headed home a cross from Loic Remy, and Nice were denied an equalizer soon after when Franck Djadjedje was turned away by Marseille GK Steve Mandanda. In stoppage-time Andre Ayew was fouled by Drissa Diakite in the area, and Remy stepped up to coolly slot home the resulting PK.
Nancy 2-1 Brest – The promoted club dominated the possession (61%) and were fairly even, statistically, over the course of the match, but were unable to earn any points from this affair. The first half consisted of numerous missed chances for both sides, and things didn’t pick up until after the break. In the 64th minute a cross from Reynald Lemaitre found Jung Jo-Gook, whose shot took a deflection off Brest defender Gregory Lorenzi. Nancy thought they had doubled the lead in the 82nd minute when Thomas Mangani found the back of the net, but he was adjudged offside. Just 3 minutes later a goal arrived at the other end of the pitch, with Benoit Lesoimier heading home a cross from Eden ben Basat. However, it took just 2 minutes for Nancy to retake the lead as Daniel Niculae received a pass from Jean Calve and proceeded to dribble the entire defense for the match-winner.
Rennes 1-1 Valenciennes – This match was incredibly even, statistically, and the sharing of points was the deserved result. A 4th-minute volley from Victor Hugo Montano drew a fantastic save from Valenciennes GK Nicolas Penneteau, while at the other end of the pitch an attempted lob from Foued Kadir was turned away by Rennes GK Benoit Costil. The latter’s teammates opened the scoring in the 21st minute when Jires Kembo-Ekoko sent home a pass from Jonathan Pitroipa. The lead last just 8 minutes, as Remi Gomis volleyed home a corner from Gael Danic in the 29th minute. The second half saw the clubs trade chances, although Valenciennes had the better opportunities to take the full points with efforts from Benjamin Angoua and Kadir just wide of the mark.
Saint-Etienne 1-1 Montpellier – Les Verts put forth an excellent performance to deny Montpellier the chance to move closer to 1st in the Ligue table. It was the latter club who started more quickly, with Olivier Giroud sending a lob off the mark and John Utaka firing a shot wildly over the crossbar. Saint-Etienne opened the scoring in the 32nd minute when Banel Nicolita fired home a header on a cross from Fabien Lemoine. The latter could have had a brace just after the restart, but his effort spiraled wide. The equalizer arrived in the 57th minute when Joris Marveaux exhibited wonderful control in taking down a cross from Giroud before firing home. Each side had an opportunity to take the full points, but Souleymane Camara was turned away by ASSE GK Stephane Ruffier while Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang was denied by Montpellier GK Geoffrey Jourdren.
Sochaux 2-1 Lyon – Despite holding 60% of the possession, Les Gones were unable to deny the brilliant effort of Les Lionceaux in a surprising result. Sochaux came out full throttle, as in the 10th minute a corner from Ryad Boudebouz saw confusion between Jimmy Briand and Aly Cissokho, resulting in an OG off the latter. Lyon responded almost immediately, as in the 14th minute a counter-attack saw Bafetimbi Gomis find youngster Alexandre Lacazette for a header. Boudebouz then turned up the pressure, shooting just wide before being fouled in the area in the 43rd minute by the beleaguered Cissokho and sending home the resulting PK. The second half started with a lob from Cedric Bakambu that Lyon GK Hugo Lloris was relieved to watch sail over the crossbar. At the other end of the pitch Sochaux GK Teddy Richert did well to turn away efforts from Lacazette and Gomis as Lyon were denied the equalizer, and the match ended with Lloris forced into a good save on an effort from Sloan Privat.
Auxerre 2-0 Toulouse – The inconsistency continues for Le TFC, as they held 58% of the possession but could only muster 2 shots on frame. Auxerre opened the match with a header from Dennis Oliech that draw a good save from Toulouse GK Ali Ahamada, but that proved to be the only good opportunity for either side in the first half. Shortly after the restart Kamel Chafni was brought down in the area, and Auxerre were incensed not to receive a PK. The opening goal came in the 69th minute as a cross form the busy Chafni was poorly cleared, allowing Yaya Sanogo (substituted into the match just 1 minute earlier) to find the back of the net for the first Ligue 1 goal of his young career. The latter could have had a brace in the 73rd minute, but his shot was cleared off the line by Toulouse defender Aymen Abdennour. The points were fully secured in the 88th minute when Roy Contout slammed a hard shot into the top corner.
Bordeaux 1-1 Paris Saint-Germain – The capital club missed a prime opportunity to increase their lead at the top of the table, drawing Les Girondins in a match that saw them somewhat lacking in imagination. PSG scored first, as in the 10th minute Mohamed Sissoko headed home a corner from Nene, but the equalizer took just 3 minutes to arrive as the in-form Yoan Gouffran found the back of the net on a cross from Benoit Tremoulinas. The first half ended with Jaroslav Plasil denied by PSG GK Salvatore Sirigu, while Nene was turned away by Bordeaux GK Cedric Carrasso. The second half began with a shot from Nene that had to be cleared by Bordeaux defender Marc Planus, after which the latter’s teammates began to display a little urgency. Some good work from Nicolas Maurice-Belay and Gouffran nearly resulted in an OG from PSG defender Mamadou Sakho, after which Anthony Modeste hit the crossbar with a header. Bordeaux had a final opportunity to take the full points, but the free-kick from Tremoulinas was wide of the mark.
So, after Matchday 13 we have:
Top 4: (1) Paris Saint-Germain (30 points on a 9-3-1 record and a +15 goal differential); (2) Montpellier (27 points on a 8-3-2 record and a +12 goal differential); (3) Lille (24 points on a 6-6-1 record and a +9 goal differential); and (4) Lyon (23 points on a 7-2-4 record and a +6 goal differential)
GSTGC award: Saber Khalifa (Evian)
Weekend preview score predictions: 0 out of 2
Weekend preview result predictions: 0 out of 2
