Ligue 1 Roundup, Matchday 23
Matchday 23 set of games in the 2023/24 Ligue 1 season featured exciting matches, unexpected outcomes, and impressive displays. Here is a recap of the weekend’s games.
Metz 1-2 Lyon
Saïd Benrahma scored his first goal for Lyon, helping them come from behind to defeat Metz and secure their 10th win in 12 games. Metz, who have suffered nine defeats in their last 11 matches, fell five points behind safety in Ligue 1. Despite initially taking the lead through Georges Mikautadze, Metz eventually succumbed to Lyon’s comeback, with Alexandre Lacazette equalizing before Benrahma’s decisive goal. Lyon’s victory now sees them comfortably six points clear of the relegation zone.
Lorient 0-1 Nantes
Nantes have earned seven points in their last three away matches in Ligue 1, moving up to 12th place in the standings after narrowly beating Lorient 1-0, who are also fighting against relegation. Despite having more possession, Lorient couldn’t capitalize on it and failed to equalize after Castelletto’s goal. This loss puts Lorient in the relegation play-off position, but they are only three points behind 13th-placed RC Strasbourg with 11 games left. Nantes extended their strong head-to-head record with this win, marking their 12th victory in their last 16 matches and distancing themselves from the relegation zone.
Strasbourg 0-3 Brest
Brest maintained their second-place position in the Ligue 1 standings with a 3-0 victory over RC Strasbourg Alsace, thanks to a hat-trick from Mahdi Camara. This win extended Brest’s unbeaten streak to twelve league matches, matching their previous record from 1990. On the other hand, Strasbourg suffered their fourth consecutive loss and their third consecutive home defeat, which was not the outcome Patrick Vieira had hoped for in his 100th Ligue 1 match as a manager. Strasbourg remains just three points above the relegation zone.
Lens 2-3 Monaco
In the 119th encounter between RC Lens and AS Monaco, Monaco emerged victorious with a 3-2 win at Stade Bollaert-Delelis. Takumi Minamino’s 92nd-minute goal secured the three points for Monaco, boosting their chances of securing a top three UEFA Champions League qualification spot. Despite Lens’ strong second-half performance, they were left disappointed as they slipped to sixth place in the Ligue 1 standings after suffering their second home defeat to Monaco in this century. On the other hand, Monaco’s unbeaten streak in five consecutive away league matches has propelled them into the top three, enhancing their prospects of clinching an automatic Champions League spot in the upcoming season.
Toulouse 3-1 Lille
Toulouse secured their initial win at home in the league since October by defeating Lille 3-1 after trailing initially. This win not only opened up a four-point lead over the relegation zone for Toulouse but also had implications for both teams in the standings. Lille dropped to fifth place, while Toulouse climbed three spots to 11th, creating a four-point buffer between them and the relegation zone.
OGC Nice 0-0 Clermont
OGC Nice failed to secure a win for the fourth consecutive Ligue 1 match, with 2 draws and 2 losses, after a disappointing 0-0 draw at home against bottom-ranked Clermont Foot. Clermont Foot fought hard to maintain their unbeaten record at the Allianz Riviera with 2 wins and 1 draw. This result meant that Nice did not win any league matches in February and dropped out of the automatic UEFA Champions League qualification positions. However, they did manage to keep their opponents from scoring in the league for the 14th time in just 23 games.
Le Havre 1-2 Reims
Mohamed Daramy, who came on as a substitute in the second half, scored two goals to help Reims end their winless streak with a 2-1 win over Le Havre. The game started with both teams struggling to score, but Daramy made an immediate impact after being brought on by coach Will Still. He scored his first goal shortly after entering the game, thanks to a great assist from Khadra.
However, Reims faced a setback when Thomas Foket was sent off with a red card, leaving them with 10 players. Le Havre then equalized with a penalty kick by Abdoulaye Touré. In stoppage time, Daramy scored his second goal from a penalty kick after the initial shot was saved, securing the victory for Reims.
PSG 1-1 Rennes
In a dramatic turn of events, Paris Saint-Germain managed to secure a draw against Rennes with a controversial 97th-minute penalty scored by Gonçalo Ramos. This penalty ended Rennes’ impressive six-match winning streak. Despite initial doubts about the penalty decision, a VAR check confirmed that Ramos had fallen without any contact. However, Ramos later won another penalty in stoppage time after being fouled by Mandanda. He successfully converted the penalty, leading to debates among neutral fans about whether PSG deserved the point.
Marseille 4-1 Montpellier
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored twice to assist Marseille in continuing their unbeaten streak under new coach Jean-Louis Gasset. The striker netted two goals before and after halftime as his team overturned a 1-0 deficit to beat Montpellier 4-1 in Ligue 1. This outcome pushes Montpellier just outside the relegation zone based on goal difference, while the home team, who broke a six-game winless streak in Ligue 1, remains in ninth place, now just five points away from the top five.
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