Desire Oparanozie made a losing return from injury as her Guingamp bowed 1-0 to Montpellier at the Stade Bernard Gasset.
The Nigeria international has been sidelined since January due to a reccuring leg injury she suffered against Cameroon at the 2018 African Women's Cup of Nations in Ghana.
As a result, the 25-year-old has not featured since a 5-2 defeat to Dijon on January 27 and missed out of Guingamp's last three matches and Nigeria's six pre-Women's World Cup games in 2019.
The Super Falcons forward started for Frederic Biancalani's side and came close in the 17th and 58th minutes but keeper Casey Murphy denied her from scoring.
She lasted 81 minutes before she was replaced by Peniquel but they were undone by the star-studded hosts through Valerie Gauvin's 72nd-minute strike.
Guingamp are seventh on the French women topflight log with 20 points and they will welcome Soyaux in their next fixture on April 13.
Oparanozie's return will be a major boost for Nigeria as they continue their preparations for the 2019 Women's World Cup.