Saint-Etienne stalled in the race for the podium in Ligue 1, Sunday in Reims (3-1), unlike Nantes, which by driving Dijon (1-0), returned to Bordeaux, fifth before facing Marseille (2e) in the evening.
Before the 17th round at the Vélodrome, the ranking was further tightened behind the top trio formed by Paris SG, OM and Lille. Only four points separate the fourth Rennes (27 pts) from the thirteenth Nice (23 pts)! Now just behind the Rennes, Nantes has as many points as Bordeaux (26 pts) and one more than the rival neighbors Lyon and Saint-Etienne. Then come Reims, Montpellier, Monaco and Angers, in ambush with a unit of delay.
A second defeat for Claude Puel
Sunday, the St Etienne had the opportunity to get closer to the first places in case of success to Auguste-Delaune. But they failed to put the ingredients seen Tuesday against Nice (4-1) at home. More enterprising, the Rémois scored on their only shot in the first period, a nice return to acrobatic Remi Oudin (10th). Romain Hamouma equalized (59) seven minutes after coming into play. But Boulaye Dia (68) and Moussa Doumbia (90 + 2) put Reims ahead.
This is the second defeat of the era Claude Puel, the coach arrived in early October in the Forez. And next Sunday, his team receives the leader Paris SG at Geoffroy-Guichard. The Rémois have renewed with a victory that had fled since October 19 (1-0 against Montpellier). They are back in the first half of the rankings, with a late match to play on January 15 in Amiens.
Blas offers victory to Nantes
In the late afternoon Sunday, Nantes has offered a late victory against Dijon (1-0), a poorly ranked only one point ahead of Metz, in position of barrage. The Canaries have sieged their visitors, but without ever being really dangerous in the first period, at least, where their supporters have had only one occasion of Moses Simon (34th) to put in their mouths.
The dominance of Christian Gourcuff players ended up paying a shot from the left of Ludovic Blas (73), author of a nice relay with Simon.