Ligue 1 Roundup, Matchday 27
Here is a recap of the matches that occurred during Matchday 27 of the 2023/24 Ligue 1 season over the weekend, featuring exciting games, unexpected outcomes, and impressive player performances.
Lille 2-1 RC Lens
Edon Zhegrova scored twice to lead Lille to a 2-1 win over Lens in their latest Ligue 1 match. This victory added to Lens’ struggles against the top five teams, with just one win in their last 10 league games against the top teams. Despite Elye Wahi’s late goal for Lens, it wasn’t enough to spark a comeback as Lille maintained their six-game unbeaten streak. Lens, on the other hand, suffered their second consecutive loss and now sit in sixth place, trailing the top four by four points.
Metz 2-5 Monaco
In a dominant first half, Monaco scored three goals within the first 20 minutes, leading to a crucial 5-2 victory over Metz. This win extended their winning streak against Les Grenats to seven matches. Metz’s performance was encapsulated by Alexandre Oukidja’s failed backheel attempt, which gifted substitute Folarin Balogun his sixth goal of the season, making it 4-0. Despite Monaco’s strong showing, they were unable to keep a clean sheet as Papa Amadou Diallo capitalized on poor defending to score a consolation goal. Metz found some late momentum, scoring a second goal through Ibou Sané after Koffi Kouao’s assist, but Balogun sealed the win for Monaco with another close-range goal, securing a comfortable three-goal victory.
Lyon 1-1 Reims
Olympique Lyon had their first draw under Pierre Sage with a 1-1 draw against Stade de Reims at the Groupama Stadium. Lyon, who have had the most wins in Ligue 1 (12) since Sage took over in November, started strong in the match. Reims took the lead but it was short-lived as Ernest Nuamah scored for Lyon. Despite some close chances, neither team could secure a late victory. Lyon is now seven points behind RC Lens for the final European qualification spot, while Reims is three points closer to Franck Haise’s team.
Lorient 0-1 Brest
Brest secured their first victory in three games in the Brittany derby against Lorient with a 1-0 win, thanks to a late goal from Romain Del Castillo in the 86th minute. This victory moved Les Pirates back up to second place in the standings. Despite facing pressure from the home team, Brest managed to take the lead through Del Castillo’s sixth goal of the season, scored on a quick counterattack from a Lorient corner. The visitors were reduced to 10 men in stoppage time when Billal Brahimi received a straight red card, but this did not impact the final result. This win marked only the second victory for Brest at Lorient in the last 20 years.
OGC Nice 1-2 Nantes
Nantes secured a 2-1 victory over European contenders Nice at the Allianz Riviera. Nantes manager, Antoine Kombouaré, who has a perfect record of 10 matches unbeaten in managerial debuts, with 5 wins and 5 draws, faced a challenging eight minutes of injury time but ultimately guided his team to victory. This win marks Nantes’ fifth consecutive unbeaten match against Nice and gives them a two-point buffer above the relegation zone. On the other hand, Nice have only won once in their last seven games across all competitions, with six losses and one draw.
Le Havre 0-2 Montpellier
Le Havre suffered a 2-0 defeat against Montpellier at the Stade Océane. This loss means that Montpellier has only lost one of their last four Ligue 1 games, won 2 and drawn 1. Michel Der Zakarian’s team managed to hold on to their lead and secure an important victory, moving them up to 13th place in the Ligue 1 standings. This win also gives them a three-point lead over the relegation play-off position. On the other hand, Le Havre is now in 15th place, with just one point separating them from Lorient in 16th place.
Clermont 0-3 Toulouse
Vincent Sierro delivered an outstanding performance to help Toulouse secure their first victory at the Stade Gabriel Montpied in more than twenty years, as they triumphed 3-0 against Clermont Foot 63. This crucial win has now positioned Toulouse six points ahead of the relegation play-off spot, with the team set to return to their home ground, the Stadium de Toulouse, to face RC Strasbourg. On the other hand, Clermont’s future in Ligue 2 seems likely as they have only managed to win four out of their 27 matches so far.
Strasbourg 2-0 Rennes
Strasbourg broke a four home game losing streak in the league by defeating Rennes 2-0, who suffered their first away defeat in seven league matches. The win was a significant step towards Ligue 1 safety for Strasbourg, especially after their previous victory against Nantes. This success highlights Patrick Vieira’s leadership, who has been under scrutiny by the French media. While back-to-back wins have relieved pressure on Strasbourg, Rennes, led by Julien Stéphan, are struggling to secure a spot in Europe as they failed to close the three-point gap to sixth-placed Lens.
Marseille 0-2 PSG
PSG overcame being a player down to defeat Marseille 2-0 in a thrilling 107th edition of Le Classique. This victory marked the first time any team had managed to win at the Stade Vélodrome this season. Despite missed opportunities by Faris Moumbagna and Aubameyang, Marseille couldn’t find the equalizer and were ultimately punished with a second goal on the counterattack. Marco Asensio set up Gonçalo Ramos for the decisive goal. With this win, Paris Saint-Germain secured their sixth victory in the last seven head-to-head meetings and are on track to claim their 10th title in 12 seasons. Meanwhile, Marseille’s 19-match unbeaten home streak, dating back to the previous season, came to an abrupt end.
