Ligue 1 Roundup, Matchday 8
Matchday 8 of the 2024/25 Ligue 1 season has just wrapped up, featuring exciting games and impressive performances. Here is the Ligue 1 Roundup from the weekend.
AS Monaco 0-0 Lille
AS Monaco missed the opportunity to extend their lead at the top of Ligue 1 after Jordan Teze was sent off in the second half, which disrupted their momentum against Lille, resulting in a hard-fought 0-0 draw. The home team came closest to scoring a late winner when Denis Zakaria’s low shot was saved by Chevalier, allowing Hütter’s team to maintain their unbeaten start to the season. On the other hand, Lille will be frustrated with their inability to create more chances in the final moments, as their winless streak in away league matches against Monaco now stretches to 13 games (8 draws, 5 losses).
Brest 1-1 Rennes
A late equalizer from Jota, who came on as a substitute in the second half, earned Rennes a point in a 1-1 draw against Brest at the Stade Francis Le-Blé. This goal marked the last significant moment of a frustrating match for Brest, who had controlled much of the game but were unable to secure their first competitive home victory against Rennes since April 2011, just before their upcoming match against defending Bundesliga champions Bayer Leverkusen in the UEFA Champions League on Wednesday. On the other hand, Rennes’ late goal helped them avoid a third consecutive loss, although they remain in the lower half of the standings.
St Etienne 0-2 RC Lens
A powerful goal from Przemysław Frankowski enabled RC Lens to maintain their unbeaten streak in Ligue 1, now at eight matches (3 wins, 5 draws), following a 2-0 away victory against Saint-Étienne. This win reinforces Lens’ recent head-to-head superiority, extending their unbeaten run against Saint-Étienne to six matches (3 wins, 2 draws) and propelling them into the top five of the Ligue 1 table. On the other hand, Saint-Étienne has not managed to secure a home win against Les Sang et Or since August 2010.
PSG 4-2 Strasbourg
Paris Saint-Germain secured their fifth consecutive victory at the Parc des Princes, defeating Strasbourg 4-2. This win means that Les Parisiens remain unbeaten in their last 15 encounters against Strasbourg, with 12 wins and 3 draws. A late consolation goal from Pape Daouda Diong for Strasbourg did not impact the final result, allowing Les Parisiens to reclaim the top spot in the standings, tied on points with AS Monaco, while Strasbourg’s unbeaten streak comes to an end.
Le Havre 0-4 Lyon
Lyon achieved their fifth straight win in all competitions with a convincing 4-0 triumph at the Stade Océane over Le Havre, who faced their fifth consecutive loss in Ligue 1. André Ayew nearly scored a consolation goal for Le Havre with a free-kick that just skimmed the top of the net. Saïd Benrahma then capped off the match with a precise close-range goal, helping Lyon secure their ninth win in 13 away Ligue 1 matches in 2024.
Toulouse 1-1 Angers
Angers is still looking for their first win in Ligue 1 this season after finishing 1-1 draw against Toulouse at the Stadium Municipal. This result means they have not secured an away victory in the French top division since September 2022. The prevents their longest losing streak under Carles Martínez. However, Angers will be disappointed not to have won, particularly after failing to convert a penalty, though they managed to hold off a late attack from Toulouse to earn a point.
Nantes 1-1 OGC Nice
OGC Nice’s search for a win against Nantes continued as they played to a 1-1 draw at Stade de la Beaujoire in Ligue 1, marking their sixth consecutive match without a victory over the Canaries. Both teams had opportunities to secure a win in the final moments, but ultimately, they had to settle for a point. This result allows Nantes to move up two positions to ninth place, while OGC Nice remains in eighth.
Auxerre 2-1 Reims
Goals on either side of halftime secured a 2-1 win for Auxerre against Reims at Stade de l’Abbé-Deschamps, marking the hosts’ first victory in their head-to-head encounters with Les Rouges after six previous attempts. This win not only allowed Auxerre to achieve their first success against Reims but also helped them move three points clear of the automatic relegation zone. On the other hand, Reims managed to achieve their goal of scoring in 10 consecutive top-flight away matches for the first time since April 1962, but they remain tied on points with Lille for the UEFA Champions League play-off spot.
Montpellier 0-5 Marseille
Marseille climbed back to third place in Ligue 1 after easily defeating Montpellier 5-0 at the Stade de la Mosson. They eased off in the later stages of the match, allowing Montpellier to limit the damage to just five goals. This performance sets them up well for their upcoming match against league leaders Paris Saint-Germain, and they will be optimistic about achieving a good result. On the other hand, Montpellier is in serious trouble at the bottom of the table and needs to make quick improvements to avoid falling further behind.