Ligue 1: Monaco continues, Troyes sweeps Lille, Metz takes over … what to remember from the afternoon matches
After PSG’s draw in Strasbourg on Friday evening (3-3), that of Lens at home against Nantes on Saturday afternoon (2-2) and Rennes’ victory over Saint-Étienne on Saturday evening (2-0), the 35th day Ligue 1 continued this Sunday with challenges at all levels. Here is the recap of everything you need to remember from the afternoon meetings.
The crazy series: Monaco reaps and puts pressure
Unstoppable since the end of winter, the Monegasques never stop winning. Against Angers this Sunday (2-0) they signed a 7th success in a row in Ligue 1. Abdoulaye Bamba, against his camp, scored first but just before the break (42nd) then Wissam Ben Yedder doubled the lead with a dry strike from the left. The former Toulousain has signed his 21st achievement of the season and is back up to Martin Terrier in 2nd place in the scorers’ rankings, behind the inevitable Kylian Mbappé. What to come back to three small points from Marseille, 2nd, which receives Lyon this Sunday evening (8:45 p.m.). For Philippe Clément’s men, only ninth on the evening of the 26th day, the Champions League is now clearly in sight.
The slap: Lille takes three in Troyes
A story of penalties… and a red card at the Stade de l’Aube this Sunday. Facing LOSC, the Trojans, 14th, offered themselves a nice breath of fresh air in their quest to maintain. Bruno Irles’ men opened the scoring shortly before half-time with a contentious penalty but perfectly converted by Florian Tardieu.
In the second half, Lille scuttled each other for the first time with an expulsion following two yellow cards received in quick succession by Renato Sanches for protest. Then a second time five minutes later with a fault – indisputable this time – by Sven Botman in the box. The Canadian Ugbo takes care of the sentence before Tardieu gives more scope to the Trojan success, again on penalty. Reduced to 9 after the expulsion of Burak Yilmaz in the 69th, the Mastiffs have won only 2 of their last 8 Ligue 1 games.
The missed opportunity: Metz is joined on the gong in Montpellier
The Messins no longer have a choice. To keep a tiny chance of evolving in the elite next season, the Garnets are condemned to faultless until the 38th day. On the field of Montpellier this Sunday, they thought they offered a first reprieve by leading 2-0 until the 80th minute. Former Paris FC player Thomas Delaine opened the scoring in the 24th minute with a nice curling shot from the right after a scramble in the box. On returning from the locker room, Mafouta took the break but nothing was going in favor of Lorraine this season. Arnaud Souquet reduced the score in the 80th minute before Elye Wahi scored his 10th goal of the season in added time. Each passing weekend seems a little more like the FC Metz of Ligue 2.
Regrets: Lorient dominates but loses against Reims
Dominating is not winning and the people of Lorient experienced that this Sunday. Superior in all post-match statistics, the Merlus nevertheless lost 2-1 at home to Reims. Terem Moffi responded to the opening of Arbër Zeneli’s score but it is the Champenois who will have the last word with El-Bilal Touré who deceives Dreyer with a beautiful volley on the hour mark. , 12th, have already ensured their maintenance, unlike the Bretons, 16th, who have only 3 points ahead of Saint-Étienne, roadblocker.
Victory in the mind: Brest drops Clermont in numerical inferiority
Favorites at kick-off against Clermont, the Brestois were much less so after the exclusion of Romain Del Castillo in the 23rd minute of play. But the Auvergnats, 17th two points behind Saint-Étienne 18th, will not benefit never. And it was the Bretons who finally won 2-0 thanks to two but entered in quick succession on the hour mark. The first was the work of Lilian Brassier, the second was scored by Steve Mounié. The Brestois, already maintained, sign a 3rd affiliation success in Ligue 1.