Celik pulls Lille ahead of Strasbourg
LOSC 1-0 RC Strasbourg Alsace
THE GAME
Burak Yilmaz returns from suspension to take his place in the Lille attack alongside Jonathan David, and he immediately passes close to his fifth goal of the campaign, but Matz Sels thwarts his powerful attempt (4th). Strasbourg came into this encounter four places and eight points ahead of recently deposed Ligue 1 champions Uber Eats, and they gained influence as the first half progressed. Gerzino Nyamsi saw a deflected shot wide (11′) and Adrien Thomasson should have done better when he was spotted entering the area by Ajorque, but his shot was too moderate to test Léo Jardim (27′). Ajorque then had the chance to make it 1-0 himself, rising at the near back post to meet a cross from Thomasson, but his header hit Jardim in the head and went out for a corner (36′). Renato Sanches may have given Lille the lead against the run of play late in the half, but he fired wide (42nd), and it was 0-0 at the break.
Celik makes the difference
Strasbourg started the second half as they had the first – as the stronger side – and Kévin Gameiro was only wide of the post to give them the lead when he netted Frédéric’s free-kick. Guilbert shortly after the recovery (49th). The former Paris Saint-Germain and La Liga veteran had another great chance within the hour when he was found by Ajorque in the box, but this time Jardim lived up to his effort (57th ). Gabriel Gudmundsson tried to keep the visitors honest soon after, but his volley was comfortably recovered by Sels (66th). Jardim had to be on his guard at the other end to prevent another effort from Thomasson (75′) before tipping Nyamsi’s header on target over his crossbar (80′). Lille will however have the last word, Celik meeting a cross from Timothy Weah to force the winner (87th).
THE PLAYER: Leo Jardim
Celik may have gotten the winner, but this victory would have been impossible without Jardim. The Brazilian wasn’t even Lille’s first-choice keeper at the start of the season, but he’s gone from strength to strength since winning his one-on-one battle with Ivo Grbic and after helping fend off 11 attempts on his goal, deserves all the praise that will surely come his way.
THE STAT: 8
Lille are now undefeated in their last eight matches against Strasbourg in all competitions. The last time Racing was right to mastiffs was back in October 2018, when they beat them 2-0 in the League Cup third round en route to lifting that season’s trophy.
FC Nantes 5-3 Girondins de Bordeaux
FC Nantes came from behind to take all three points in an eight-goal thriller with relegation-threatened Girondins de Bordeaux at Stade de la Beaujoire.
Bordeaux had lost eight of the last nine possible points before this one but they took the lead in the first half with M’Baye Niang (6′) scoring the opener before assisting Javairo Dilrosun (18′) for the second.
However, the floodgates opened in the second half. If Enock Kwateng (67th) was able to respond to an own goal from Ricardo Mangas (51st), the Nantes trio Coulibaly (72nd), Moses Simon (76th) and Osman Bukari (89th) all knew how to find the frame around a penalty missed Jimmy Briand at the other end (88′) and it was 5-3.
Clermont Foot 63 2-2 Angers SCO
While Bordeaux lost points, Clermont Foot 63 kept their heads above the parapet at home against Angers SCO, coming back from two goals down to draw 2-2.
Angers seemed to be cruising when goals from Mohamed-Ali Cho (37th) and Ismaël Traoré (44th) led them 2-0 at the break, but Mohamed Bayo (71st) and Lucas Da Cunha (82nd) struck. in the last 20 minutes.
OGC Nice 1-0 ESTA Troyes
There was also a dramatic turn of events on the Côte d’Azur at the end of the match with OGC Nice who could not stop until the 94th minute to get the better of ESTAC Troyes.
Khéphren Thuram, who had replaced Hicham Boudaoui just after the hour mark (65th) – dismissed the winner on the final kick of the match to keep the Aiglons on the heels of RC Strasbourg Alsace in fifth and last European place .
FC Metz 0-1 Stade Brestois 29
Stade Brestoise 29 won by the same score at FC Metz, meanwhile.
Youcef Belaïli was the best player on the Stade Saint-Symphorien pitch and rewarded with his first goal of the season (27′). Metz frustration overflowed at the end of the match with Jemerson (78th) and Alexandre Oukidja (79th) sent off.