Ligue 1 Round-Up: Auxerre & Saint-Etienne Sneak Success

Saturday, November 7, 2009

Le Mans 0-1 Auxerre
Lorient 5-0 Boulogne-Sur-Mer
Monaco 0-0 Grenoble Foot38
Nancy 0-1 Saint-Etienne
Paris Saint Germain 0-1 Nice (full report)
Valenciennes 1-1 Montpellier
Sochaux L-L Racing Club de Lens

Le Mans 0-1 Auxerre

Luckless Le Mans will be wondering exactly how they contrived to lose their fixture against Auxerre.

After a somewhat tentative start to the game, Auxerre broke into their stride after quarter of an hour, impressed for a brief spell but would then return to their rather mundane game soon afterwards. Ireneusz Jelen was the first to threaten for the guests, but Cedric Hengbart had the ball in the net after 19 minutes only to see the assistant referee’s flag raised.

Efforts from Aurelien Capoue and Jelen again just before half time threatened, but they were not made to count, both narrowly missing the target.

Immediately after the break there was far more life about the game, with MUC hitting the post through Thorstein Helstad, who tried to turn a Sebastien Corchia free kick into the net.

Home defender Joao Paulo found the net only moments later, but sadly for the former Porto man it was his own goal. It was a frustrating goal to lose, Didier Ovono having blocked Ireneusz Jelen’s shot against the defender, who could do nothing to prevent it rolling into the goal.

The goal opened the game up, with MUC suddenly a more potent attacking force. Helstad continued to be the protagonist in chief for the home side, but for a second week in a row he did not have his shooting boots on. With 12 minutes remaining a fine shot from Anthony Le Tallec rebounded off the upright with Olivier Sorin beaten.

In the midst of a flurry of home chances, Kamel Chafni nearly killed the game off, failing to beat Ospina after being released by Jelen.

More drama was to unravel in the last ten minutes, even after Ludovic Baal had hit the post from a Corchia center. Moments later Jean-Pascal Mignot was adjudged to have handled in the box, but Sorin made the save to win three points for his side.

Lorient 5-0 Boulogne-Sur-Mer

After a couple of poor performances, Lorient got their season back on track with a routine home success.

A dull start to the game would brighten up a little before the interval. Boulogne would actually be the first to show, with a poor clearance from Fabien Audard nearly punished by Lucien Aubey, whose first time lob narrowly missed the target.

Lorient became the dominant force prior to half-time and would strike twice to undo their guests’ resistance. Ibrahim Kone would make two terrific saves, denying Kevin Gameiro and Marama Vahirua, but this blocks were to naught as both players would beat him prior to the pause.

On 33 minutes an error from the erratic goalkeeper allowed Morgan Amalfitano’s pass to pick out Gameiro, who had a simple task to finish. Then in first half stoppage time Johan Ramare’s wayward pass was picked off by Vahirua, who took his time before shooting home.

Another lamentable Ramare pass just after the interval coughed up possession to Pierre Ducasse, who released Vahirua. The Tahitian in turn played a simple ball to Gameiro. Lorient’s most accomplished finisher did not need a second invitation, sending a low shot into the ground.

Boulogne were unwinding, and soon they would be four down. A Ducasse free kick failed to beat the wall, but Vahirua was sharpest to the rebound, turning the ball into the net.

Their hunger for goals seeming satisfied, Lorient cruised through the remaining minutes. However, they would place the cherry on top of their night with a late volley from Amalfitano, who pounced as Boulogne failed to properly clear their lines.

Monaco 0-0 Grenoble Foot38

At the 11th hour Grenoble managed to avoid tying the worst ever single-season losing sequence in Ligue 1, mustering a scoreless draw with impotent Monaco.

Expected to win this game with a degree of comfort, les Monegasques did not enjoy a particularly easy first half. Nassim Akrour narrowly missed their target after just eight minutes, though Alejandro Alonso was quick to reply for the home side with a similar effort.

Only a stunning double save from Ronan Le Crom on 13 minutes prevented Yohan Mollo giving les Monegasques the lead, and this seemed to inspire GF38 defensively as they restricted Guy Lacombe’s outfit to only a tentative header wide from Alonso for the remainder of the half. Meanwhile, Jimmy Juan flicked a header agonizingly past the post, with Monaco goalkeeper Stephane Ruffier beaten.

Little improved for the home side following the 15 minute interval. Substitute Frederic Nimani sent a strong shot at goal just after the break, but his effort was not far enough away from goalkeeper Le Crom to pose him a significant problem, despite the presence of Eidur Gudjohnsen ready to snap up a rebound.

Monaco continued to disappoint going forward. Mathieu Coutadeur shot over from outside the box and Frederic Nimani had a token effort saved by Le Crom, but they never suggested that they would win this encounter, leaving GF38 to celebrate their first point of the season.

Nancy 0-1 Saint-Etienne

A poor run of results for injury-plagued Saint-Etienne was brought to an end in Lorraine as they secured a narrow victory over Nancy.

On ten minutes Djamel Bakar wasted a seemingly ideal opportunity to put his side ahead. Youssouf Hadji played a wonderful subtle pass through to the former Monaco man, who struck his shot wide of Jeremie Janot’s goal.

Nancy would again go close on 20 minutes, with Hadji denied by a smart close-range stop from Janot, who turned the Moroccan’s header over the top of the crossbar.

Sainte had their share of possession, but Nancy were far more incisive, mustering double figures of shots before the interval. However, many of these were lacking a real edge. An effort from Jonathan Brison, who tried his luck from 25 yards was the pick, but his effort skimmed wide.

Les Verts were more forceful in their attacking options after half-time, with Gonzalo Bergessio’s strike from the edge of the box saved comfortably by Damien Gregorini.

It would be the hosts who remained the more potent threat. Bakar dallied on the ball too long when well placed, allowing Yohan Andreu to recover and make a decent challenge. Julien Feret and Issiar Dia grew increasingly desperate as time wore on, with mediocre efforts from distance not troubling Janot as the game remained tight and largely chance-free.

Indeed, when a goal arrived, it came from barely an opening. Dimitri Payet picked the ball up 25-yards from goal and leathered a terrific drive into the side net of Gregorini, who was helpless to stop the ball.

Janot would twice produce fine saves in the closing stages to prevent ASNL drawing level. First he would push away a Bakaye Traore effort and then with seconds remaining he repelled a volley from Cheik Diabate, giving his side a vital hat-trick of points and a rare away win.

Paris Saint Germain 0-1 Nice

Click here for a full report

Valenciennes 1-1 Montpellier

Despite a rousing second half display, Valenciennes could not find a way to beat Montpellier.

Having gone three matches without conceding, Valenciennes failed to last even three minutes against MHSC. Some neat play down the left flank from Karim Ait-Fana resulted in him whipping in a perfect cross for Victor Hugo Montano to attack and head into the net.

It would be a wholly uncertain start from the home side, who nearly fell further behind when Younes Belhanda’s corner fell to the feet of Emir Spahic, whose shot was well turned onto the bar by Guy Ndy Assembe.

Rocked somewhat, Valenciennes were stirred into some kind of action. Though VA would not allow Montpellier any kind of scoring opportunities, they would not have a clear sight of goal themselves.

This would change quickly after the break, when Renaud Cohade’s powerful drive cannoned off the post and rebounded kindly for Carlos Sanchez, who had no problems rolling the ball into the net.

Intense pressure would pour upon the goal of MHSC for the much of the remainder of the game. However, clear-cut chances were few. Fahid Ben Khalfallah nearly picked out Gregory Pujol in a good position, but Spahic intercepted well, while a series of shots from the home side could not find the target.

A late rally saw a peppering of shots fly towards the Montpellier net, but none were particularly notable. Indeed, the only significant action late on was a red card for Spahic.

Robin Bairner, Goal.com

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