Lens lose focus on leaders PSG post loss against Montpellier, Nice falter at Troyes
Montpellier dominated the first half and pressure mounted moments ater the break when English striker Stephy Mavididi scored from the irrepressible Teji Savanier’s pass
Second-place Lens lost 1-0 at Montpellier on Sunday to fall nine points behind runaway league leader Paris Saint-germain ater 10 matches on Sunday.
Montpellier dominated the first half and pressure told moments ater the break when English striker Stephy Mavididi scored from the irrepressible Teji Savanier’s pass.
Forward Valere Germain hit the post for Montpellier early on ater latching onto a fine pass from the slick playmaker Savanier, who was in great form throughout and is pushing for a first call-up to France’s national squad.
Earlier, high-flying Nice lost 1-0 at promoted Troyes ater failing to reply to an early goal from forward Mama Balde.
Defender Giulian Biancone set up Balde in the fourth minute and he shot under the crossbar.
Top scorer Amine Gouiri came on in the second half for Nice ater scoring midweek for France’s under-21 side and looked a threat.
Defeat leaves coach Christophe Galtier’s side in third place but still two points behind Lens, while Troyes moved out of the relegation zone.
It was going to be an emotional night for Marseille fans at home to Lorient as they paid tributes to hugely popular former president Bernard Tapie, who died this month.
It was the first home game at Stade Velodrome since Tapie’s death on Oct. 3.
Striker Gaetan Laborde continued his fine scoring form with his league-leading seventh goal as improving Rennes won 3-0 at lowly Metz.
Ater starring in a well-deserved home win against PSG two weeks ago, Laborde neted midway through the first half before 19-year-old Ghana winger Kamaldeen Sulemana added a superb solo goal and winger Martin Terrier completed the scoring just before the break.
Saint-etienne coach Claude Puel is under increasing pressure to keep his job ater his side lost 5-1 at Strasbourg. Saint-etienne is last and is the only side yet to win apart from 19th-place Brest, which drew 1-1 at home to Reims.
South Korea striker Hwang Ui-jo scored for strugglers Bordeaux in a 1-1 home draw with midtable Nantes.
On Friday, runaway leader PSG needed a controversial late penalty from striker Kylian Mbappe to scrape a 2-1 win against Angers and make it nine wins from 10 games.
Earlier, forward Karl Toko Ekambi scored an ice-cool late penalty and central defender Jason Denayer added another near the end as Lyon beat Monaco 2-0 to move up to fith place in the French league on Saturday.
Brazil midfielder Lucas Paqueta turned a tight game into Lyon’s favor with his superb passing as soon as he went on, even though he only just returned from international duty.
Toko Ekambi held his nerve and neted from a short run up as he sent goalkeeper Alexander Nuebel the wrong way in the 75th minute.
Paqueta played a clever late pass to release former Chelsea let back Emerson, and his low cross could hardly be missed by Denayer from just two meters out.
Ater three goals in two games for France Under-21s during the international break, 18-yearold Rayan Cherki was handed a start up front for Lyon. He looked sharp.
In the day’s other match defending champion Lille lost at Clermont 1-0 and was in ninth place.
Lille’s form picked up in recent matches, but coach Jocelyn Gourvennec’s side fell behind in the 32nd minute when let back Vital N’simba hit a smart half-volley from the edge of the penalty area.
Lille’s veteran captain, Jose Fonte, almost equalized with 10 minutes let but goalie Arthur Desmas saved the central defender’s low shot.
On Friday, runaway leader Paris Saint-germain needed a controversial late penalty from striker Kylian Mbappe to come from behind and scrape a 2-1 win against Angers.