Lorient full steam ahead

The good progress of the Lorientais was confirmed this weekend with another convincing victory, this time against the Canaries, four days after having tamed Lyon at home.

At the Moustoir stadium, Régis Le Bris' team marked their territory by winning their three L1 matches this season.

Here is the Breton club provisionally 4th in L1 (16 pts), three lengths behind the leading duo composed of Paris SG and Marseille (19 pts) and one point behind Lens (3rd, 17 pts).

Beating Rennes (1-0), Lyon (3-1) and Nantes in turn, despite a much lower budget, this poses a team and its coach Le Bris, a novice in L1 but already in the bath.

The Lorientais were however led Sunday afternoon after the opener of the score of Ignatius Ganago on corner (13th).

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But a splendid direct free kick from Dango Ouattara (19th), a curling shot from the top corner of young Yoann Cathline (60th) and a goal from Ibrahima Koné (74th) gave victory to Merlus, despite a little scare with the reduction of the score by Moses Simon (85th).

It is a disappointment for Nantes, which remained on the euphoria of its successful reunion with Europe, Thursday against Olympiakos (2-1) in the Europa League, and stagnates at the bottom of the table (15th) with only 6 points before a distant European trip to Azerbaijan to challenge Qarabag next Thursday.

- Delort revives Nice -

Things are going better for Nice, who returned to victory in Ajaccio thanks to a splendid goal from Andy Delort on an acrobatic return (65th).

The Niçois, too inconsistent this season, remained on a defeat in the Riviera derby against Monaco (0-1) then a draw against Cologne in the Europa League Conference (1-1), enamelled by violent outbursts from supporters.

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After a sluggish first period at the François-Coty stadium, the Aiglons woke up, galvanized by Delort's classy gesture.

The center forward, former Ajaccio, did not celebrate his goal.

This success puts Nice (12th, 8 pts) in the middle of the table, while the promoted Ajaccio (1 pt), still weaned from victory, remains red lantern.

Strasbourg not varnished, Angers relieved

Strasbourg has not yet won this season either!

Julien Stéphan's team stumbled again, this time against Clermont (0-0), after a frustrating match where the Alsatians stumbled in vain on the Auvergne cage, finding the crossbar twice.

"This is the story of our season, we lack success," Thomasson railed at Amazon Prime Video.

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And as bad luck sticks to Racing, Maxime Le Marchand was even excluded at the end of the match for a second yellow card (88th), leaving Strasbourg (17th) to advance at a worrying pace: only 5 points taken in seven days, all on matches dummies...

In Angers (19th) on the other hand, the first victory is there: 2-1 against Montpellier thanks to Adrien Hunou, scorer (9th) then at the origin of a penalty converted by Sofiane Boufal (69th), while Arnaud Nordin had opened the scoring for the Héraultais (7th).

It's a great relief for the SCO and its coach Gérald Baticle, weakened in recent weeks.

Appeasement also for Toulouse (10th), who ended a series of three defeats by beating Reims (1-0) on a goal from Zakaria Aboukhlal (31st), well helped by the exclusion of Rémois Alexis Flips on time of game.

© 2022 AFP