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Ligue 1 Round-Up: Marseille Slip To Shock Defeat, Lille & PSG Both Hit Four
It would prove to be another frustrating evening for Didier Deschamps' side, but les Dogues continue their spectacular progress...
| Bet: | Returns: | AJ Auxerre £24.00 | Draw £31.00 | FC Lorient £30.00 |
|
| Bet: | Returns: | AJ Auxerre £25.00 | Draw £30.00 | FC Lorient £30.00 |
|
| Bet: | Returns: | AJ Auxerre £24.00 | Draw £30.00 | FC Lorient £30.00 |
|
| Bet: | Returns: | AJ Auxerre £24.00 | Draw £32.00 | FC Lorient £30.00 |
|
| Bet: | Returns: | AJ Auxerre £23.50 | Draw £31.00 | FC Lorient £28.50 |
|
Dec 23, 2009 7:48:45 PM
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Le Mans 1-1 Monaco
Lorient 3-2 Valenciennes
Olympique Lyonnais 0-2 Montpellier (report)
Olympique de Marseille 0-2 Auxerre
Nancy 0-4 Lille
Nice 2-2 Boulogne-Sur-Mer
Paris Saint-Germain 4-0 Grenoble
Sochaux 2-0 Stade Rennais
Toulouse L-L Girondins de Bordeaux
Le Mans 1-1 Monaco
Le Mans had to be content with a point at home against Monaco, despite having had the advantage in the first half.
Thorstein Helstad had a fine chance for MUC after only six minutes of play, loping onto a flick from Anthony Le Tallec only to have visiting keeper Stephane Ruffier muffle his effort was a brave dive at the Norwegian’s feet. Le Tallec went himself after ten minutes but his ambitious effort from distance flew wide.
Monaco enjoyed their best period of the first half immediately after this moment, with the peak coming when Nene forced a good save from Didier Ovono.
But the half would end with the hosts on top and in front. Le Tallec shot by the target when he perhaps should have done a little better but this would quickly be forgotten when he completed a lovely team move with a composed finish.
This high was quickly eradicated as Park Chu-Young equalised early after the restart, firing home following a centre from Francois Modesto.
MUC would have the better of the closing stages but there was not a winner for them.
Lorient 3-2 Valenciennes
Two out-of-form sides served up a Christmas cracker in Brittany, though it was Valenciennes who ended up the turkeys as Lorient edged a five-goal thriller.
It only took VA five minutes to move into the ascendancy, Johan Audel taking advantage of a present handed to him by Fabien Audard, who rushed from his goal to try and challenge to forward but failed hopelessly, allowing him to convert into an empty net.
Audard quickly made amends, producing a smart reflex block to deny Fahid Ben Khalfallah a headed goal after a lovely team move from the guests.
Lorient’s first shot at goal resulted in the leveller. A swift counterattack was rounded off by Morgan Amalfitano, who was first onto the rebound after Sigamary Diarra’s strike was only partially blocked by Guy Ndy Assembe.
But the guests were clearly in the mood, with Ben Khalfallah in particular causing issues. A fierce drive from the Tunisian was turned away by Audard, who could do nothing to prevent Gael Danic cutting in from the right and sending a low drive into his net literally seconds later.
The response of the hosts after the break was immediate. Laurent Koscielny’s long ball forward picked out Kevin Gameiro, whose cut-back was thumped home by Amalfitano.
Gameiro three-times went close in the following minutes as Lorient turned the screw, though it would be Franco Sosa who would move them ahead, heading home at the near post from a Marama Vahirua corner.
Given the action that had preceded the fifth goal, it was something of a surprise that there was not to be a late twist, but Lorient weren’t complaining as they picked up three excellent points.
Olympique de Marseille 0-2 Auxerre
Marseille lost further ground in the title race, defeated at home by an efficient Auxerre side who won their first points of the season when shorn of star Polish striker Ireneusz Jelen.
OM would doubtless get an early feeling that it was not to be their evening as they lost Laurent Bonnart and Lucho Gonzalez in the opening 25 minutes due to injuries. During this period the visiting side had enjoyed the better of the game without creating a golden opening to cap their marginal domination.
A red card was flashed in the direction of Bakari Kone on 33 minutes after the Ivorian had clashed with Valter Birsa. To the Slovenian’s eternal credit he explained to the referee that the attacker’s actions were purely accidental and the decision was reversed.
Karma played a part as AJA were quickly ahead on the scoreboard. Daniel Niculae picked out Dennis Oliech in the box, allowing the Kenyan the chance to beat Steve Mandanda.
Marseille were immensely disappointing, with a driven effort from Hatem Ben Arfa soon after the break about as good as things would get for them. Olivier Sorin saved that strike effectively.
Their impotence was emphatically punished ten minutes from the end, with Oliech again at the cutting edge of a decisive counterattack.
Nancy 0-4 Lille
Lille remain France’s most on-song side, dispatching Nancy with consummate ease.
Much of the early running would be done by les Dogues, with Adil Rami having a goal disallowed after ten minutes. Further chances would follow, Aurelien Chedjou and Franck Beria continuing the theme of defenders threatening their hosts.
When the breakthrough did arrive three minutes before half-time, it came from a somewhat more orthodox source. Rio Mavuba and Gervinho combined to set-up Eden Hazard, who struck home after lurking dangerously on the penalty spot.
The match was soon sown up after the restart, with Gervinho smartly onto the rebound of a Pierre-Alain Frau shot to snaffle a simple second for the northerners.
When Joel Sami was sent-off for a foul on the Ivorian inside the box, it simply made LOSC’s life a whole lot easier. Frau, in the meantime, converted from 12 yards with the minimum of fuss.
Youssouf Hadji sent a header off the post for the home side, but it remained one-way traffic, Gervinho striking his second and Lille's fourth when he ran onto a through pass from Hazard and nutmegged Gennaro Bracilgiano in the home net.
Nice 2-2 Boulogne-Sur-Mer
Boulogne twice led against Nice but could not bank a vital three points as their hosts fought back.
All of the early pressure flowed towards the goal of the visiting team, but much of the forward play from les Aiglons lacked real conviction, with an early Loic Remy header summing up their somewhat feeble efforts in front of goal.
Arguably the best chance of the half fell to Drissa Diakite, but he could not react when a free kick fell kindly for him in the box. Remy created the best opening of the first period, but after beating an opponent he failed to produce a shot of sufficient quality to seriously trouble visiting goalkeeper Jean-Francois Bedenik.
A similar opportunity was created by the former Lyon youth just after the break, but after convincingly skinning his marker he failed to find the target.
Boulogne were not about to pass up such chances and promptly moved into the ascendancy, despite enjoying little possession or boasting much real threat. An Alexandre Cuvillier corner picked out the lone figure of Damien Perrinelle at the back post. The defender’s header was fumbled into the net by David Ospina.
Substitute Mickael Pote announced his arrival on the field by levelling the score, heading across goal to convert an Alain Cantareil cross.
Parity lasted less than ten minutes. Yoann Lachor’s angled pass behind the defence picked out Jeremy Blayac, whose finish was imperious.
Cuvillier might have sealed the points with eight minutes remaining but he was denied by a fine double save by Ospina.
Instead it would be Nice who struck late to level a breathless match. Pote would again be the hero, this time after being played through by Remy.
Paris Saint-Germain 4-0 Grenoble
An emphatic win for PSG will have raised some festive cheer around the capital but has only gone further to deepen the gloom felt by Grenoble, who are all but relegated even at the half-way stage of the season.
Much of the damage was done early by the capital side. Stephane Sessegnon’s early foray on the left produced a centre on eight minutes that Peguy Luyindula refused to pass up.
Sylvain Armand was next to get his name on the scoresheet, striking after Mevlut Erding wasted a great chance when faced with visiting stopper Ronan Le Crom. The left-back showed the Turk how to finish, getting in at the near post to divert home another Sessegnon cross.
Grenoble actually enjoyed a fair portion of the ball but lacked the final touch in front of goal. Both Laurent Courtois and Danijel Ljuboja might have found the net in the early stages of the second period before Erding put the match well and truly out of sight by running through and shooting into the top corner.
To the guests’ credit, they remained game and would have had a consolation if Nassim Akrour’s header had been just an inch lower as it crashed unfortunately off the bar.
GF38’s evening was summed up as Christophe Jallet completed the scoring with an angled free kick that touched nobody en route to the visiting net.
Sochaux 2-0 Stade Rennais
The inconsistent season that Rennes are enduring continued in Doubs, where they would go down to a workmanlike home side.
Any hopes the Bretons had of an easy night were eradicated on ten minutes, when Asamoah Gyan was dismissed due to a seemingly innocuous clash with Damien Perquis.
Despite their numerical disadvantage, Rennes would hold their own in terms of shots, though Sochaux would fashion the marginally better openings during the first period. And les Lionceaux would have the breakthrough on the cusp of the interval, Stephane Dalmat driving home from the edge of the box after a corner wasn’t cleared properly.
Sylvain Marveaux cracked the bar with a powerful drive ten minutes after the break as the short-handed guests looked for a leveller, but instead it would be Edouard Butin who would strike for the hosts, sprinting onto a through ball to convert with aplomb.
Seeming resigned to their fate, Rennes might have lost a third, with Vincent Nogueira passing up the pick of the late chances for les Lionceaux.
Robin Bairner, Goal.com
Le Mans 1-1 Monaco
Lorient 3-2 Valenciennes
Olympique Lyonnais 0-2 Montpellier (report)
Olympique de Marseille 0-2 Auxerre
Nancy 0-4 Lille
Nice 2-2 Boulogne-Sur-Mer
Paris Saint-Germain 4-0 Grenoble
Sochaux 2-0 Stade Rennais
Toulouse L-L Girondins de Bordeaux
Le Mans 1-1 Monaco
Le Mans had to be content with a point at home against Monaco, despite having had the advantage in the first half.
Thorstein Helstad had a fine chance for MUC after only six minutes of play, loping onto a flick from Anthony Le Tallec only to have visiting keeper Stephane Ruffier muffle his effort was a brave dive at the Norwegian’s feet. Le Tallec went himself after ten minutes but his ambitious effort from distance flew wide.
Monaco enjoyed their best period of the first half immediately after this moment, with the peak coming when Nene forced a good save from Didier Ovono.
But the half would end with the hosts on top and in front. Le Tallec shot by the target when he perhaps should have done a little better but this would quickly be forgotten when he completed a lovely team move with a composed finish.
This high was quickly eradicated as Park Chu-Young equalised early after the restart, firing home following a centre from Francois Modesto.
MUC would have the better of the closing stages but there was not a winner for them.
Lorient 3-2 Valenciennes
Two out-of-form sides served up a Christmas cracker in Brittany, though it was Valenciennes who ended up the turkeys as Lorient edged a five-goal thriller.
It only took VA five minutes to move into the ascendancy, Johan Audel taking advantage of a present handed to him by Fabien Audard, who rushed from his goal to try and challenge to forward but failed hopelessly, allowing him to convert into an empty net.
Audard quickly made amends, producing a smart reflex block to deny Fahid Ben Khalfallah a headed goal after a lovely team move from the guests.
Lorient’s first shot at goal resulted in the leveller. A swift counterattack was rounded off by Morgan Amalfitano, who was first onto the rebound after Sigamary Diarra’s strike was only partially blocked by Guy Ndy Assembe.
But the guests were clearly in the mood, with Ben Khalfallah in particular causing issues. A fierce drive from the Tunisian was turned away by Audard, who could do nothing to prevent Gael Danic cutting in from the right and sending a low drive into his net literally seconds later.
The response of the hosts after the break was immediate. Laurent Koscielny’s long ball forward picked out Kevin Gameiro, whose cut-back was thumped home by Amalfitano.
Gameiro three-times went close in the following minutes as Lorient turned the screw, though it would be Franco Sosa who would move them ahead, heading home at the near post from a Marama Vahirua corner.
Given the action that had preceded the fifth goal, it was something of a surprise that there was not to be a late twist, but Lorient weren’t complaining as they picked up three excellent points.
Olympique de Marseille 0-2 Auxerre
Marseille lost further ground in the title race, defeated at home by an efficient Auxerre side who won their first points of the season when shorn of star Polish striker Ireneusz Jelen.
OM would doubtless get an early feeling that it was not to be their evening as they lost Laurent Bonnart and Lucho Gonzalez in the opening 25 minutes due to injuries. During this period the visiting side had enjoyed the better of the game without creating a golden opening to cap their marginal domination.
A red card was flashed in the direction of Bakari Kone on 33 minutes after the Ivorian had clashed with Valter Birsa. To the Slovenian’s eternal credit he explained to the referee that the attacker’s actions were purely accidental and the decision was reversed.
Karma played a part as AJA were quickly ahead on the scoreboard. Daniel Niculae picked out Dennis Oliech in the box, allowing the Kenyan the chance to beat Steve Mandanda.
Marseille were immensely disappointing, with a driven effort from Hatem Ben Arfa soon after the break about as good as things would get for them. Olivier Sorin saved that strike effectively.
Their impotence was emphatically punished ten minutes from the end, with Oliech again at the cutting edge of a decisive counterattack.
Nancy 0-4 Lille
Lille remain France’s most on-song side, dispatching Nancy with consummate ease.
Much of the early running would be done by les Dogues, with Adil Rami having a goal disallowed after ten minutes. Further chances would follow, Aurelien Chedjou and Franck Beria continuing the theme of defenders threatening their hosts.
When the breakthrough did arrive three minutes before half-time, it came from a somewhat more orthodox source. Rio Mavuba and Gervinho combined to set-up Eden Hazard, who struck home after lurking dangerously on the penalty spot.
The match was soon sown up after the restart, with Gervinho smartly onto the rebound of a Pierre-Alain Frau shot to snaffle a simple second for the northerners.
When Joel Sami was sent-off for a foul on the Ivorian inside the box, it simply made LOSC’s life a whole lot easier. Frau, in the meantime, converted from 12 yards with the minimum of fuss.
Youssouf Hadji sent a header off the post for the home side, but it remained one-way traffic, Gervinho striking his second and Lille's fourth when he ran onto a through pass from Hazard and nutmegged Gennaro Bracilgiano in the home net.
Nice 2-2 Boulogne-Sur-Mer
Boulogne twice led against Nice but could not bank a vital three points as their hosts fought back.
All of the early pressure flowed towards the goal of the visiting team, but much of the forward play from les Aiglons lacked real conviction, with an early Loic Remy header summing up their somewhat feeble efforts in front of goal.
Arguably the best chance of the half fell to Drissa Diakite, but he could not react when a free kick fell kindly for him in the box. Remy created the best opening of the first period, but after beating an opponent he failed to produce a shot of sufficient quality to seriously trouble visiting goalkeeper Jean-Francois Bedenik.
A similar opportunity was created by the former Lyon youth just after the break, but after convincingly skinning his marker he failed to find the target.
Boulogne were not about to pass up such chances and promptly moved into the ascendancy, despite enjoying little possession or boasting much real threat. An Alexandre Cuvillier corner picked out the lone figure of Damien Perrinelle at the back post. The defender’s header was fumbled into the net by David Ospina.
Substitute Mickael Pote announced his arrival on the field by levelling the score, heading across goal to convert an Alain Cantareil cross.
Parity lasted less than ten minutes. Yoann Lachor’s angled pass behind the defence picked out Jeremy Blayac, whose finish was imperious.
Cuvillier might have sealed the points with eight minutes remaining but he was denied by a fine double save by Ospina.
Instead it would be Nice who struck late to level a breathless match. Pote would again be the hero, this time after being played through by Remy.
Paris Saint-Germain 4-0 Grenoble
An emphatic win for PSG will have raised some festive cheer around the capital but has only gone further to deepen the gloom felt by Grenoble, who are all but relegated even at the half-way stage of the season.
Much of the damage was done early by the capital side. Stephane Sessegnon’s early foray on the left produced a centre on eight minutes that Peguy Luyindula refused to pass up.
Sylvain Armand was next to get his name on the scoresheet, striking after Mevlut Erding wasted a great chance when faced with visiting stopper Ronan Le Crom. The left-back showed the Turk how to finish, getting in at the near post to divert home another Sessegnon cross.
Grenoble actually enjoyed a fair portion of the ball but lacked the final touch in front of goal. Both Laurent Courtois and Danijel Ljuboja might have found the net in the early stages of the second period before Erding put the match well and truly out of sight by running through and shooting into the top corner.
To the guests’ credit, they remained game and would have had a consolation if Nassim Akrour’s header had been just an inch lower as it crashed unfortunately off the bar.
GF38’s evening was summed up as Christophe Jallet completed the scoring with an angled free kick that touched nobody en route to the visiting net.
Sochaux 2-0 Stade Rennais
The inconsistent season that Rennes are enduring continued in Doubs, where they would go down to a workmanlike home side.
Any hopes the Bretons had of an easy night were eradicated on ten minutes, when Asamoah Gyan was dismissed due to a seemingly innocuous clash with Damien Perquis.
Despite their numerical disadvantage, Rennes would hold their own in terms of shots, though Sochaux would fashion the marginally better openings during the first period. And les Lionceaux would have the breakthrough on the cusp of the interval, Stephane Dalmat driving home from the edge of the box after a corner wasn’t cleared properly.
Sylvain Marveaux cracked the bar with a powerful drive ten minutes after the break as the short-handed guests looked for a leveller, but instead it would be Edouard Butin who would strike for the hosts, sprinting onto a through ball to convert with aplomb.
Seeming resigned to their fate, Rennes might have lost a third, with Vincent Nogueira passing up the pick of the late chances for les Lionceaux.
Robin Bairner, Goal.com
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