Ligue 1 Roundup, Matchday 4
This summary covers the matches that took place during Matchday 4 of the 2024/25 Ligue 1 season over the weekend, featuring thrilling games, surprising results, and outstanding player performances.
St Etienne 1-0 Lille
Mathieu Cafaro’s early goal was enough for Saint-Étienne to secure their first win of the Ligue 1 season after a two-year absence, and it also marked their first head-to-head victory against Lille in eight league encounters. This win, their first at home this season, also represents their fifth clean sheet in the last seven league matches against Lille. Meanwhile, Lille will struggle to come to terms with their third consecutive competitive loss, having previously lost to Paris Saint-Germain and Slavia Praha before the international break.
Marseille 2-0 OGC Nice
Marseille maintained their unbeaten start to the Ligue 1 season with a 2-0 victory over OGC Nice at the Orange Vélodrome. The victory propels De Zerbi’s team to second place of the Ligue 1 table, behind PSG. On the other hand, Nice is currently in twelfth place after a challenging beginning to the season, having secured only one win in their first four matches, along with one draw and two losses.
Auxerre 0-3 Monaco
AS Monaco maintained their strong start to the Ligue 1 season with a 3-0 win against AJ Auxerre, marking their third victory in four matches (with one draw) under Adi Hütter. The home team struggled to pose a threat to a dominant Monaco side, who scored a third goal late in the game when Zakaria capitalized on a rebound. Overall, it was an easy match for Hütter’s team, who will now focus on their upcoming UEFA Champions League match against Barcelona. On the other hand, Auxerre needs to improve their performance quickly to avoid falling into the relegation zone, with their next match against Montpellier Hérault SC.
PSG 3-1 Brest
Paris Saint-Germain continued their perfect start to the Ligue 1 season by overcoming Brest 3-1 at the Parc des Princes, marking the seventh time in their history that they have won their first four league matches. After a shaky moment in the first half, Enrique’s team secured a convincing victory. They will now shift their focus to the UEFA Champions League, with Girona set to visit Paris on Wednesday. Meanwhile, Brest will also be competing, as they make their debut in Europe’s premier club tournament by hosting Austrian team Sturm Graz.
Rennes 3-0 Montpellier
Rennes returned to winning form with a convincing 3-0 victory over Montpellier at Roazhon Park, marking their sixth consecutive home win against this opponent in Ligue 1 since 2002. Despite efforts from Der Zakarian’s team to prevent Rennes from achieving a clean sheet, the hosts comfortably extended their unbeaten streak to ten home matches against Montpellier. On the other hand, this loss is only Montpellier’s second in their last eight away matches in the top division, but it places them in the relegation zone as they remain one of three teams yet to secure a win this season.
Toulouse 2-0 Le Havre
Toulouse secured their first Ligue 1 win at the Stade de Toulouse since early March, defeating Le Havre AC 2-0 thanks to second-half goals from Shavy Babicka and Yann Gboho. Gboho’s impressive shot in the 86th minute put the game beyond doubt, ensuring Toulouse earned three much-needed points and ended a five-match winless streak. On the other hand, Le Havre’s loss prevents them from achieving their first back-to-back away victories in Ligue 1 since April 1998.
Strasbourg 1-1 Angers
Angers secured their first point of the season by coming from behind to draw 1-1 with Strasbourg at the Stade de la Meinau. Angers maintained their strong performance at this location, having lost only once in their last eight visits. In the final 10 minutes, the away team nearly took all three points when Himad Abdelli connected with a corner and headed towards the goal, but his attempt was saved by Đorđe Petrović. Angers managed to hold on for their first point of the season, while Strasbourg’s inconsistent start continued as they dropped more points after leading. They currently sit in 10th place in the Ligue 1 standings.
Nantes 1-2 Reims
Keito Nakamura netted a last-minute goal in the 91st minute, leading Reims to a 2-1 comeback victory over Nantes in Ligue 1 and putting an end to the Canaries’ unbeaten start to the season. Nakamura’s powerful shot from the edge of the box found the bottom corner, leaving Lafont unable to react and marking Nantes’ first league loss of the season. This victory reflects Reims’ strong recovery after their opening day defeat, as they have now broken a six-match winless streak in away games in Ligue 1.
RC Lens 0-0 Lyon
RC Lens continued their unbeaten run in the Ligue 1 season with a 0-0 draw against Lyon, who have not won in their last five matches at the Stade Bollaert-Delelis. RC Lens fans were excited twice around the 80-minute mark when Thomasson assisted Rémy Labeau Lascary, whose shot narrowly missed the goal, followed by a first-time strike from Facundo Medina that just went over the crossbar. Lyon did not have any late opportunities, but they managed to halt a two-match losing streak against Lens, who have recorded the fewest goals in the league.
