Ligue 1 Roundup, Matchday 33
Here is an overview of the matches that occurred during Matchday 33 of the 2023/24 Ligue 1 season over the weekend, highlighting exciting games, unexpected outcomes, and standout player displays.
Nice 1-0 Le Havre
Jérémie Boga scored an early goal to give OGC Nice a 1-0 victory over Le Havre, marking only their third win in the last 20 head-to-head encounters against Les Ciel et Marine. This win was crucial for Les Aiglons as they aim to secure a spot in the top four of Ligue 1. Despite late pressure from Le Havre, Steve Ngoura missed a chance to equalize with one of the final kicks of the game.
Nice managed to hold on to their lead and extend their unbeaten streak to five matches, moving within 4 points of fourth-placed LOSC Lille and keeping their hopes alive for a second UEFA Champions League campaign. On the other hand, Le Havre’s winless streak in away league matches extended to 11, which doesn’t bode well for their goal of avoiding relegation, although they currently sit three points above the relegation play-off spot.
Brest 1-1 Reims
Brest are close to clinching a spot in the Champions League for the first time in their history with a gritty 1-1 draw against Reims, who were dealing with the sudden departure of their manager Will Still. Despite facing a formidable opponent that had lost only two home games all season, Reims managed to hold their own, with some moments of luck evident when Jérémy Le Douaron narrowly missed the target twice.
In the second half, Reims appeared to be struggling, resembling a team on a five-game winless streak, as they found it challenging to generate scoring opportunities and seemed content with settling for a draw to maintain their mid-table standing. Fortunately for Reims, Brest was unable to break through their resilient defense, resulting in a draw that secured a top-four finish for Brest.
Strasbourg 2-1 Metz
RC Strasbourg surprised their opponents by scoring two goals in the final moments of the game to secure a 2-1 victory over Metz. This result puts Metz in a difficult position, as they now need a miracle in the last weekend of the Ligue 1 season to avoid a relegation play-off. The late turn of events at the Stade de la Meinau ends Strasbourg’s three-game losing streak, while Metz remains in the relegation play-off spot, trailing Le Havre by three points. Their upcoming match against champions Paris Saint-Germain presents a challenging task for Metz.
Rennes 1-1 RC Lens
Rennes’ hopes of qualifying for European football have ended, even though they managed to secure a late 1-1 draw against RC Lens. Lens remains undefeated in their last eight head-to-head matches against Rennes, with four wins and four draws. Rennes now sit four points behind Lens as they head into the final round of Ligue 1 games. Despite Rennes putting significant pressure on Lens’ goal towards the end of the match, Lens managed to hold on for a draw, preventing Rennes from securing a spot in Europe next season. Lens still need to do some work to confirm their qualification for continental football in the upcoming campaign.
PSG 1-3 Toulouse
Paris Saint-Germain’s last game at the Parc des Princes this season ended in a 3-1 loss to Toulouse in Ligue 1. This marked only the second time in their last 13 home matches against Toulouse that PSG failed to win. Toulouse’s Frank Magri scored the decisive goal in the match, securing a fourth consecutive away victory for Toulouse in Ligue 1, a first in their history. This defeat extended PSG’s winless streak to four games across all competitions, but it did not overshadow their achievement of winning a record 12th Ligue 1 title. PSG is also the last team to win the Hexagoal trophy before it is replaced next season as part of a league rebranding.
Nantes 1-2 Lille
Lille emerged victorious with a 2-1 win over Nantes at the Stade de la Beaujoire in the second-to-last Ligue 1 match of the season. This outcome extends Lille’s unbeaten streak to 18 head-to-head matches against Nantes since September 2015, with 14 wins and 4 draws. With just one game remaining against fifth-placed OGC Nice, Lille could secure a spot in the Champions League if Nice loses to PSG. Meanwhile, Nantes fans found some relief as Strasbourg’s late victory over Metz ensured Nantes’ place in the top flight for the 2024/25 season. Despite this, Nantes will reflect on what went wrong in the 2023/24 season after their cup final appearance last year.
Montpellier 0-2 AS Monaco
AS Monaco secured their spot in the UEFA Champions League group stages for the first time since the 2018/19 season by defeating Montpellier HSC 2-0 at the Stade de la Mosson. Monaco dominated the match, making it unlikely for Montpellier to stage a significant comeback. Although Montpellier had a goal disallowed due to a foul on Radosław Majecki, Monaco comfortably finished the game and maintained an impressive away record with just one loss in their last nine league matches on the road.
Marseille 3-1 Lorient
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored twice in a 3-1 win at the Stade Vélodrome, helping Marseille stay in the race for European qualification. This defeat sent Lorient to the second division as they couldn’t match Metz’s result. Lorient’s hopes of a comeback were dashed when Panos Katseris fouled Faris Moumbagna in the box, leading to a penalty that Aubameyang converted. Despite Katseris hitting the crossbar with a header later on, it was not enough to save Lorient from relegation after their seventh consecutive loss, ending their four-year spell in Ligue 1.
Clermont 0-1 Lyon
Clermont Foot 63’s demotion from Ligue 1 has been confirmed after a 1-0 loss to Olympique Lyon, which also ended their three-game winning streak against them. Despite Metz being ahead 1-0 with 10 minutes remaining, a result that would have relegated Clermont, they were unable to avoid the drop. Despite Metz’s late collapse, Clermont suffered consecutive defeats for the first time since early March. On the other hand, Lyon’s outlook is more positive as they remain in contention for European qualification heading into the final match of the season.
