Ligue 1 Transfer News

Get it? It's Ligue 1! In early July! No one is paying attention.

Yesterday we "reported" that Karim Benzema had become the latest member of Galacticos v.2 so I decided to take a look at the rest of the goings-on in Ligue 1. I was going to do this last night, but "America's Got Talent" was on and I love that David Hasselhoff!



Before we start, I just want to remind everyone of how I began our Ligue 1 coverage last year. The astute reader will observe that I tipped Le Havre, Le Mans, Grenoble, and Caen as contenders for relegation. Le Havre and Caen were indeed sent down, while Le Mans finished 16th and only 3 points above the drop zone. I also predicted that Lyon, Marseille, and Bordeaux would finish in some form of the top 3. Lo and behold, the top 3 were Bordeaux, Marseille, and Lyon! The lesson here is that I am clearly a genius.

Now, on to transferpalooza! Note: For the moment I am only including the "big-name" transfers (your mileage may vary on what you consider to be a big name).

GKs on the move: For some reason, the silly season in Ligue 1 began with a flurry of GK carousel, with many of THE big names changing clubs.

Cedric Carrasso has made the move from Toulouse to Bordeaux. An excellent move for him, and Les Girondins get an upgrade over Rame/Valverde from last year. In return, Toulouse bring in Pele from Le Mans UC 72. Paris Saint-Germain lose Mickael Landreau to Lille, but they bring in former Les Bleus #1 Gregory Coupet from Atletico Madrid. Saint-Etienne, who barely avoided relegation, snatch Plante from Caen, allowing the GK to stay in Ligue 1 as his former club fight to regain their form in Ligue 2.


Don't be THAT guy: We've also seen a few players on the move that have often left our readers wondering "Who is that guy" despite the fact that they had productive Ligue 1/2 seasons.

AJ Auxerre bring in Licata from AS Monaco, presumably to be paired up top with either Niculae or Oliech. Bordeaux have brought in Obertan from FC Lorient, which tells me that they are hedging their bets against losing reported Arsenal/Fulham target Marouane Chamakh. Lyon, in addition to the massive loss of Benzema, have suffered the departure of both Keita (to Galatasaray) and Paillot (to Grenoble). Marseille have recalled a number of loans, the most promising of which is Milos Krstic, the 22 year-old midfielder from AC Ajaccio in Ligue 2. Finally, Paris Saint-Germain lifted Erdinq (11 goals, 6 assists) from Sochaux.


Wow, they moved him!?!: And now we come to the big "big names", those transfers that look to have an immediate impact on both the club they left and the club they join.

As noted (several times), the biggest Ligue 1 transfer so far is the move of Karim Benzema from Lyon to Real Madrid. However, Lyon also lose the aging, yet prolific, Juninho to El Gharrafa in...umm, Qatar? Okay then. The current rumour is that Lyon are focusing on Ruud van Nistelrooy as a replacement. Rivals Marseille also lose several significant members of their squad, with the unhappy (and apparently too mouthy) Djibril Cisse off to Panathinaikos, Zenden out of contract, and Gael Givet's loan to Blackburn made permanent. Finally, Valenciennes were unable to re-sign Jean-Claude Darcheville, the former Rangers striker who scored 4 goals in 10 matches in his brief stay, and he may sign with newly-promoted Montpellier HSC.


Who's in charge here?: This off-season has also seen several changes at the helm for clubs looking to improve upon results from last season. The coaching carousel indeed!

Newly-promoted US Boulogne CO hired Laurent Guyot, former FC Nantes player and youth academy coach, to steer them through their first-ever season in the top flight. Former Boulougne gaffer Philippe Montanier moves on to Valenciennes, affording him the opportunity to make his old club's first season in Ligue 1 a miserable one. And Valenciennes were in need of a gaffer because former manager Antoine Kombouare had been snatched up by Paris Saint-Germain after they declined to renew the contract of Paul Le Guen. AS Monaco FC have lured Guy Lacombe away from Stade Rennais as they look to finish more strongly than they did last year after a good start. Stade Rennais, for their part, bring on Frederic Antonetti, who led OGC Nice to 9th place last season. The biggest managerial move of the off-season, however, goes to Olympique de Marseille, who have brought on the legendary Didier Deschamps to replace Eric Gerets, who inexplicably left the club at the end of the season to run Al Hilal Riyad (Saudi Arabia). Oh, look who I thought L'OM would bring on to replace Gerets!

I'm a genius, I tell you!

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Ligue 1 Weekend Review

It all came down to Matchday 38, and Bordeaux took care of their business with a 1-0 victory over Caen, securing their 1st Ligue 1 title since 1999 and relegating Caen in the process. Elsewhere around Ligue 1 a few results went the wrong way for some clubs, causing PSG to miss out on European competition.



Saturday, May 30th:

Caen 0-1 Bordeaux - Fighting to stay up in Ligue 1, Caen certainly gave Bordeaux their best effort in this match, but the title-winning/relegating goal came from a former Caen star. In the 6th minute Gouffran had his shot saved by Caen GK Plante, and shortly after ben Khalfallah's vicious volley was stopped by Bordeaux GK Rame as the clubs traded opportunities. In the 45th minute Jussie hit the post, but Bordeaux would get their goal almost immediately after the restart when a Gourcuff free-kick found Tremoulinas, who crossed to Gouffran for the headed goal. The latter almost had a brace in the 69th minute, but he was stopped by Plante once again. Caen had 1 final chance in the 83rd minute, but Yatabare had his point-blank shot saved by Rame.



Grenoble 0-1 Sochaux - In a fairly even match Sochaux did enough to ensure they stayed up regardless of results in other matches. In the 14th minute Akrour volleyed a shot which elicited a brilliant save from Sochaux GK Richert. In the 17th Akrour was in 1-on-1 but put his shot directly at Richert, and in the 27th the former hit the post. Sochaux finally began to push back, with Erdinq shooting just over the bar in the 37th minute. Just 6 minutes later Erdinq dispossessed Akrour and dribbled the defense before easing past Grenoble GK Wimbee. Sochaux thought they had a 2-0 lead in the 60th on a Sverkos volley, but the goal was disallowed for offsides. The final opportunity of the match also went to Sochaux, as an Erdinq lob forced another save from Wimbee.


Lille 3-2 Nancy - Lille went ahead early and finished late, after Nancy had equalized, to move into a Europa league spot for next year. The match was a back-and-forth affair throughout, although Lille started more quickly. In the 7th minute Cabaye put his shot into the side net, and minutes later Hazard had his goal-bound strike deflected out be a Nancy defender. The opening goal came in the 12th minute when Vittek had an easy finish on a through-ball. 2 minutes later Vittek dispossessed Ouaddou (after some poor control from the latter) and passed to Rami for the 2nd goal. Nancy finally struck back in the 41st minute when Ouaddou atoned for his defensive lapse and shot home from a corner. The second half began much as the first, with Cabaye and Balmont both coming close to giving Lille a 3-1 lead. In the 65th minute Hadji beat the defense and finished clinically for the equalizer, but Lille would regain the lead in the 75th minute when Plestan headed home a corner for the win (picking up the final GSTGC award of the season).


Lorient 1-1 Le Mans - Lorient had 69% of the possession and Le Mans were far more foul-prone (11, to only 4 for Lorient) but the match ended in a draw. With few chances for either club, Le Mans struck in the 17th minute when Gervinho released Helstad on goal, and the latter finished with a low, hard shot. Lorient also scored on their first opportunity, when Ciani headed home a corner in the 36th minute. The latter looked to have a brace in the 58th minute off a Le Pen corner, only to have his header tipped onto the bar by Le Mans GK Pele. Le Mans should have taken the lead minutes later when Gervinho headed a Le Tallec cross toward the goal, but the shot was cleared off the line by Lorient defender Genton. The final chance came in the 75th minute when Le Tallec put his shot straight at Audard.


Marseille 4-0 Rennes - Marseille, hoping for a Bordeaux loss, came out of the gate on fire looking to push their goal differential past Les Girondins. In the end it didn't matter, but L'OM certainly put on an offensive clinic. The first half, however, featured only shots pushed wide and numerous saves from Rennes GK Douchez. The opening goal came in the 53rd minute Kone volleyed home a pass from Cheyrou. In the 57th minute Kone was the provider, leading Niang for an easy finish. Just 1 minute later Kone struck a nasty shot off the post, which bounced into the goal off Douchez for an OG. Niang completed his brace in the 72nd minute after some excellent work down the side from Cheyrou for the final goal.



Nantes 2-1 Auxerre - Despite their win, Les Canaris were relegated but they finished their season in style. In the 12th minute Klasnic sent home a cross from Capoue to give Nantes the early lead. In the 17th minute Dudka missed the equalizer, hitting the post. Disaster almost struck in the 30th when Auxerre defender Hangbart barely escaped an OG trying to head out a free-kick. Berthod equalized in the 48th minute after Oliech had dribbled through the midfield and laid off a perfect ball. Nantes regained the lead in the 52nd when Bagayoko finished off a pass from N'Daw with a shot that caromed in off the post. Auxerre had a chance to equalize again late in the match, but Kitambala sent his shot wide.



Nice 0-0 Le Havre - Bottom-dwellers Le Havre could not muster a shot on goal, yet managed to eke out a draw against a mid-table Nice club. In the 7th minute ben Idir hit the bar, and in the 11th minute Diallo sent his shot over the bar despite an open goal. On the other end of the pitch a shot from Modeste beat Le Havre GK Van Hamel but hit the post, maintaining the draw. In the 71st minute Adeilson was stopped by Van Hamel, while in the 73rd minute Lesage hit the crossbar for Le Havre. Nice had 2 final chances, but Adeilson was twice denied by Van Hamel. At the end of the match Nice gaffer Frederic Antonetti, who is own his way to Rennes, was given an ovation by the home supporters.


Paris Saint-Germain 0-0 Monaco - With the results of this match and others, PSG find themselves outside of European competition by 1 goal. This means that Valenciennes gaffer Antoine Kombouare, confirmed as PSG gaffer for next year, will have only domestic competition on which to focus. In the 15th minute Leko saw PSG GK Landreau off his line, but his lob went over the crossbar. In the 34th minute Landreau made an excellent save on Pino, and 5 minutes later Giuly found himself stopped by Monaco GK Ruffier on the other end of the pitch. In the 60th minute Traore deflected a Pino cross onto the post for a near-OG, as Landreau was well-beaten by the deflection. PSG had a final chance in stoppage time, but Armand hit the crossbar. Freddy Adu watch: Freddy was nowhere near the pitch, as he was in Miami training with the USMNT, having been named to the 24-man roster for the Wed. match against Costa Rica and the Sat. match against Honduras.


Saint-Etienne 4-0 Valenciennes - Saint-Etienne got an emphatic victory to ensure that they will play top-flite football next season, downing an outclassed Valenciennes club 4-0. In the first 10 minutes of the match Mirallas forced 2 saves from Valenciennes GK Penneteau and hit the post once as signals of intent. He then turned provider, sending in a cross in the 14th minute that Ilan volleyed home. In the 23rd minute Gomis had his header stopped by Penneteau for the final realistic opportunity of the first half. Within the first 5 minutes of the second half Penneteau was forced into saves on Machado and Payet, and the floodgates opened for Saint-Etienne. In the 53rd minute Payet had his shot parried away by Penneteau, only to have Gomis put in the rebound. Gomis finished his brace just 4 minutes later on a nice through-ball from Sall. The former then provided the assist in the 67th minute, putting Mirallas in on goal for an easy finish. Gomis could have had a hat-trick late in the match, after beating most of the defense, but he hit the post.



Toulouse 0-0 Lyon - An early free-kick was headed towards the goal by Makoun, but Toulouse GK Carrasso was equal to the task, as he would be all match. A few minutes later Benzema was in 1-on-1 on Carrasso, but the latter did well to make the save. In the 37th minute Lyon were down to 10 men after Mensah was awarded his 2nd YC for a bad tackle on Gignac. At the start of the second half a Braaten free-kick was headed wide by Cetto, while in the 60th minute a Fofana header was stopped by Lyon GK Lloris. This was followed shortly by another 1-on-1 breakaway for Benzema, who was again stopped by Carrasso. The final opportunity came for Toulouse, as Gignac and Sissoko combined for a shot from the former that was saved by Lloris.



So, after Matchday 38, the final Ligue 1 table is: (1) Bordeaux, with 80 points on a 24-8-6 record and a +30 goal differential; (2) Marseille, with 77 points on a 22-11-5 record and a +32 goal differential; (3) Lyon, with 71 points on a 20-11-7 record and a +23 goal differential; and (4) Toulouse, with 64 points on a 16-16-6 record and a +18 goal differential.

Toulouse finish tied on points with: (5) Lille, with a 17-13-8 record and a +12 goal differential; and (6) Paris Saint-Germain, with a 19-7-12 record and a +11 goal differential.

Bordeaux, Marseille and Lyon will appear in Champions League play next year, while Europa League spots go to Toulouse, Lille, and Coupe de France champion Guingamp.

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America Wants Caen Relegated

The task is simple for SM Caen this weekend on Matchday 38 for Ligue 1 - win and stay in the top flight (well, unless Saint-Etienne beat Valenciennes by 15 goals). If they lose and Saint-Etienne win (regardless of by how much), they will be relegated. So, who will be the targets of Caen's fury tomorrow? Eh, it's only Les Girondins, who assure themselves a Ligue 1 title with a victory. Boy, it's a good thing that Caen don't have any distractions.



This match is being held at Caen's home, the Stade Michel D'Ornano, but like most clubs Caen are staying in a hotel the night before the match. Caen is located in the Normandie region of France - sound familiar? That's right, it's near Normandy (that's the English spelling) and the 65th anniversary of D-Day is right around the corner. What that means is that there are US officials all over the place right now preparing for President Obama's visit next week. There are also thousands of veterans and visitors coming in for the planned commemoration (although Queen Elizabeth is not among them), but surely a professional football club should be able to focus on the task at hand.

Well, apparently one of the American delegates has contracted swine flu (although it's uncertain if she was already infected before entering the country), has been hospitalized, and has caused other delegation members to be quarantined for a period of time. Even worse is the fact that the hotel at which she was staying was to be the headquarters of SM Caen before their vital match this weekend. Instead, Caen were forced to stay at a hotel in Bayeux. People, that's 6.5 miles away!

If a sleep-deprived and uncomfortable Caen lose their match tomorrow and are relegated, it will be a conspiracy the likes of which hasn't been seen since the dodgy lasagna incident. Does anyone know if Obama is a Saint-Etienne supporter?

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Ligue 1 Weekend Review

As the season winds down the Ligue 1 champion has yet to be determined, but it will definitely be a different club from the past 7 years. This week saw reduced scoring and tight matches as clubs at both ends of the table looked for much-needed results. The result of the week goes to Le Mans, who tied Grenoble 1-1 and in so doing probably did enough to stave off relegation.



Saturday, May 23rd:

Auxerre 1-0 Saint-Etienne - Both clubs started quickly, as Payet forced a save from Auxerre GK Sorin, while Birsa sent his shot just over the crossbar at the other end of the pitch. In the 40th minute Pedretti's cross found Jelen, who shot just wide, and the latter opened the second half by shooting over the crossbar. Jelen would get his goal in the 60th minute after a defensive mistake. Saint-Etienne would have 2 final chances to earn a draw, but Benalouane was stopped by a nice save from Sorin in the 76th minute and Ilan headed over the crossbar in the 86th minute.


Bordeaux 1-0 Monaco - Bordeaux earned a vital 3 points to maintain their lead atop the Ligue 1 table by bossing Monaco all over the pitch. The club from the principality almost opened the scoring in the 3rd minute, Pino shooting just wide, but after that it was all Bordeaux. In the 10th minute Tremoulinas sent a free-kick just wide, and 10 minutes later Jussie forced a save from Monaco GK Ruffier. The lone goal of the match came in the 35th minute when Chamakh headed home a free-kick. Newly-named Ligue 1 POY Gourcuff was stopped by Ruffier just after the restart, and Bordeaux continued their pressure. In the 64th minute Sertic was stopped twice in front of net by the Monaco defense, but Bordeaux had the only goal that they needed. Freddy Adu watch: Freddy broke his streak of sitting on the bench and not seeing the pitch by...not even being on the bench.


Le Havre 0-1 Lille - Le Havre, already relegated, put up very little fight in this match, with Lille holding 59% of the possession and getting off 10 shots on goal. In the 21st minute Vittek shot just wide, and Le Havre GK Revault was kept busy for the next few minutes, coming out to grab a cross from Beria and stopping Vittek 1-on-1. The second half began with some signs of life from Le Havre, as Lille GK Butelle was called upon to stop a header from Dieuze and a free-kick from Alla. The goal came in the 67th minute when Hazard found Bastos unmarked for the relatively easy finish.


Le Mans 1-1 Grenoble - In an even match between the similarly-situated clubs, the 1 point from a draw was the deserved result. In the 3rd minute Maiga had his header stopped by Grenoble GK Wimbee, while in the 10th minute a volley from Courtois was saved by Le Mans GK Pele. The save of the match came in the 16th minute when Wimbee did well to get to a shot from Gervinho, and the GK followed that up by tipping a shot from Stromstad just over the crossbar. In the 58th minute a shot from Maiga was pushed out by Wimbee, and Le Tallec hit the crossbar with the rebound. The breakthrough finally came in the 70th minute when Akrour steered home a header from a Batlles free-kick. The lead was short-lived, however, as Wimbee once again parried a shot out to Le Tallec, with the latter finishing the rebound this time for the equalizer. Grenoble had 1 final opportunity, but Akrour was stopped by Pele.


Lyon 3-1 Caen - Lyon somewhat salvaged their season with this win, ensuring their spot in next year's Champions League. Lyon put in a dominant performance, starting things quickly with a goal from Benzema that was disallowed for offside. Caen had 2 good opportunities, but Savidan put his shot straight at Lyon GK Lloris in the 15th minute and the GK stopped Deroin in the 21st minute. In the 34th minute Juninho was brought down in the area by Lemaitre, and the former stepped up to coolly finish off the resulting PK. Several minutes after the restart Ederson and Benzema both shot wide, but there were still goals to come. In the 70th minute Govou received the ball with a nice bit of control and then finished his shot easily, taking home the GSTGC award for the week. Caen managed to make things interesting in the 82nd minute when Yatabare sent home a cross from Savidan, but Benzema secured the victory in the 89th minute after a long run through the midfield.


Nancy 1-2 Marseille - Marseille kept their slim hopes for a title alive with their victory over a struggling Nancy. In the 2nd minute Kone was stopped by Nancy GK Gregorini, while Chretien went just wide in the 9th minute. Although Nancy scored the 1st goal, it was an OG from Macaluso who deflected a shot from Bonnart. The next Marseille goal was more legitimate, as Brandao slammed a shot into the upper 90 off a corner kick in the 56th minute. Over the next 20 minutes Marseille and Nancy both saw numerous chances go wide. The latter club drew 1 goal back in the 88th minute when N'Guemo headed home a cross from Gavanon, but it was not enough.


Nice 0-2 Toulouse - The Nice offense was anemic, and they managed exactly 0 shots on goal. In the 2nd minute Bonnet forced a save from Nice GK Ospina, while over the next few minutes Gignac took several close shots on the other end of the pitch. The Ligue 1-leading scorer opened his account for this match in the 13th minute with a well-struck shot into the bottom corner. He finished his brace in the 30th minute, sending home a pass from Capoue. The second half was similar to the first, with Toulouse providing all of the offense. Nice looked to have an opportunity in the 67th minute, but Mouloungui had his shot blocked. The match ended with a speculative shot from 35 yards from Tabanou that went over the crossbar.


Rennes 3-1 Lorient - This match was fairly even statistically, but Rennes made the most of their chances to secure the 3 points. In the 7th minute Sow had his volley blocked on the line by Lorient defender Le Lan, Gyan sent a header wide several minutes later. The floodgates opened in the 41st minute when Sow collected a long pass and sent home the shot. Just before the half Fanni sent in a diving header off a corner for a 2-0 lead. The beginning of the second half was mostly listless, but things picked up in the 77th minute when Jallet hit the bar with a header. Just 1 minute later his teammate Vahirua gave Lorient some hope, but Rennes struck again in the 82nd minute when Ekoko finished off a through-ball from Leroy.


Sochaux 2-1 Nantes - The victory gives Sochaux hope that they will avoid relegation. In the 3rd minute Sverkos forced a save from Nantes GK Alonzo, and the latter did well to beat Afolabi to a cross 3 minutes later. Capoue was then stopped by Sochaux GK Richert on the other end of the pitch. In the 34th minute Erdinq headed home a Martin free-kick to open the scoring, and another Martin free-kick in the 45th minute resulted in a 2-0 lead when Afolabi finished it off. The latter then gave 1 goal back in the 61st minute when he brought down Klasnic in the area and Bagayoko finished off the resulting PK. Nantes should have equalized in the 80th minute, but Capoue hit the post, and their last chance went for naught in injury time when Abdoun was stopped by Richert.


Valenciennes 2-1 Paris Saint-Germain - PSG saw an embarrassing result come after optimism stemming from an early goal. While Luyindula went just wide in the 5th minute, his teammate Kezman was able to send home a cross from Giuly in the 12th minute to give PSG the 1-0 lead. Valenciennes then began to apply pressure, with Pujol having his shot cleared off the line by PSG defender Armand in the 25th minute. The lead should have been 2-0 in the 43rd minute, but Giuly was stopped by Valenciennes GK Penneteau. They would rue the misses in the second half as Audel equalized in the 61st minute with a header off a Danic free-kick. Pujol gave his club the lead in the 66th minute, sending home a pass from Audel. PSG had 1 final chance to equalize, but Luyindula was stopped by Penneteau in the 91st minute.



So, after Matchday 37 the top of the table looks like this: (1) Bordeaux, with 77 points on a 23-8-6 record and a +29 goal differential; (2) Marseille, with 74 points on a 21-11-5 record and a +28 goal differential; (3) Lyon, with 70 points on a 20-10-7 record and a +23 goal differential; and (4) Toulouse, with 63 points on a 16-15-6 record and a +18 goal differential.

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Ligue 1 Weekend Review

This week saw quite a few braces scored and a rash of OGs (attempted and completed). The result of the week goes to Bordeaux, who moved into 1st place with a 3-2 victory over Le Mans thanks to a Lyon victory over Marseille.



Saturday, May 16th:

Bordeaux 3-2 Le Mans - Bordeaux took 26 shots and held 68% of the possession, but Le Mans made them work hard for their 3 points. The pressure began early from Les Girondins, as a Tremoulinas free-kick hit the crossbar. The opening goal, however, came for Le Mans as Le Tallec finished off a nice pass from Baal (seriously? that's quite the name) on the counter-attack. Soon after, Le Mans gaffer Daniel Jeandupeux was sent to the stands for protesting, and Bordeaux took advantage when Chamakh headed home a Gourcuff header in the 38th minute. The latter got a goal of his own in first-half stoppage time, cleaning up a scramble in the goal mouth for his 5th goal in his last 4 matches. In the 55th minute Maiga and Gervinho did some nice work down the right-hand side, eventually resulting in a goal from Le Tallec to complete his brace. Tension was high on the pitch as Bordeaux pressed for the match-winner, and Planus obliged in the 76th minute, sending home the rebound after a Gourcuff volley came back off the post.


Caen 2-0 Sochaux - Sochaux wasted their efforts from last weekend by finishing the match with more YCs than shots on goal. Caen made their intentions clear in the 8th minute when a Gomis free-kick was headed goalward by Yatabar, forcing a save from Sochaux GK Richert. The latter was forced into another save just 1 minute later, this time on a Deroin free-kick headed by Gomis. Sochaux did not get their first opportunity until the 43rd minute when a Martin free-kick was stopped by Caen GK Plante. They began to apply slightly more pressure in the second half, with Perquis forcing a save from Plante, Erdinq hitting the post after beating the offside trap, and a free-kick from Dalmat hitting the crossbar. Caen finally opened the scoring in the 77th minute when Savidan dribbled circles around Sochaux defender Faty and lobbed Richert. The profilic Savidan finished off his brace in the 90th minute when he got on the end of a long pass and beat Faty (again) to come in alone on goal. The result moves Caen back out of the relegation zone, and Sochaux back into danger.


Grenoble 0-0 Nancy - It's cliche to say that nil-nil draws are often boring, but this was exactly the type of match that footy-haters point to as a negative example of the sport. Grenoble managed only 1 shot on goal, had only 2 corners, and were caught offsides six times, while Nancy were only slightly better, with 3 shots on goal and 6 corners. In fact, both clubs were whistled vociferously by their supporters for their poor play throughout the match. In the 11th minute a Gavanon free-kick was caught by Grenoble GK Wimbee, while in the 24th minute a shot from the former hammered the post. The lone Grenoble effort came in the 43rd minute when a shot from Boya was well-stopped by Nancy GK Gregorini. The only other significant action in the match came in the 85th minute when Wimbee came off his line to beat Adjet to a long pass.


Lorient 1-1 Le Havre - In a match that featured an assist from Alla and a YC to Mary, the biggest miracle was the fact that Lorient barely avoided 2 OGs. Le Havre struck first, with Diallo scoring in the 11th minute, and they could have been up 3-0 after Le Lan and Saifi almost scored OGs within minutes of each other. In the 56th minute a Morel volley was stopped by Le Havre GK Placide, but Lorient finally got the equalizer in the 63rd minute off a Vahirua free-kick. The match ended with 2 big saves from Placide, the first on Saifi and the second on Gameiro.




Monaco 1-1 Valenciennes - Monaco were caught offsides 7 times and could only manage 2 corners, but they were able to hold on to a very early lead. Park scored the goal in the 6th minute, finishing off a nice pass from Meriem. In the 24th minute the latter was stopped by Valenciennes GK Penneteau, who also stopped Park in the 30th minute. The equalizer came in the 61st minute when a header from Mater was punched out by Monaco GK Ruffier, but only as far as Audel who finished it easily (claiming the GSTGC award in the process). Ruffier atoned by making quick saves in succession on Mater and Bangoura, while the draw was kept alive for Valenciennes when defender Ducourtioux cleared a shot from Nimani off the line. Freddy Adu watch: On the bench, staring forlornly at the pitch.


Saint-Etienne 2-2 Toulouse - In an incredibly even match the sharing of points was a well-deserved result for both clubs. Toulouse almost got off to an incredibly poor start in the 9th minute when a cross from Payet threatened to become an OG until covered by Toulouse GK Carrasso. Attempting shots on the correct goal, Cesar and Tabriou both shot just wide. The goal came in the 34th minute when Sall headed home a corner from Machado. The second half began with a shot from Tabriou straight at Saint-Etienne GK Janot, while at the other end of the pitch Carrasso did well to stop a volley from Ilan. The equalizer came in the 66th minute from Sissoko on a well-weighted through-ball from Gignac. Saint-Etienne went back in front in the 73rd minute when Cetto fouled Machado in the box and Ilan easily sent home the resulting PK. Things fell apart for relegation-threatened Saint-Etienne in the 89th minute when Gignac picked off a poor clearance from Janot and sent home his Ligue 1-leading 22nd goal to secure the draw.


Paris Saint-Germain 1-2 Auxerre - Paris Saint-Germain took a blow to their European dreams with a loss to Auxerre, despite outplaying them on the pitch. In the 6th minute Kahlenberg had a well-struck shot saved by PSG GK Landreau, while Camara had his diving header stopped by Auxerre GK Sorin. Kezman and Pedretti then traded shots on goal, with both going wide. The first goal came in the 40th minute when Jelen took a shot which was deflected by PSG defender Camara for an OG. Jelen then got his club a more legitimate goal in first-half stoppage time, finishing off a pass from Pedretti. In the 59th minute Sakho had his volley cleared off the line by Auxerre defender Berthod, and Ceara was stopped by Sorin just minutes later. PSG finally broke through in the 83rd minute when Sessegnon finished off a pass from Ceara, but it came too late to avoid dropping the points.



Sunday, May 17th:

Nantes 1-1 Rennes - In another very even match, goals late in each half provided most of the action. In the 8th minute N'Daw had his shot stopped by Rennes GK Douchez, and 4 minutes later Nantes GK Alonzo had to be alert to handle a Mareveaux free-kick. Bagayoko opened the scoring in the 42nd minute after an error by Rennes defender Hansson. Despite continued pressure, however, he was unable to score another, shooting wide on 1 occasion and shooting straight at Douchez on 2 other opportunities. He would rue the misses in the 84th minute when a through-ball from Leroy was collected by Sow and sent home for an easy finish.




Lille 1-1 Nice - Despite Nice only putting 1 shot on goal they were able to come out of this match with a draw, securing 1 point. The club's lone goal came in the 34th on a low shot from the top of the area by Modeste. They thought they had taken a 2-0 lead in the 37th minute after a goal from Bamogo, but it was disallowed due to a foul. The second-half belonged to Lille, as Nice GK Ospina was forced into a wonderful double-save on Balmont and Vittek, and Bastos followed a few minutes later with a header that Ospina did well to save. The equalizer finally arrived in the 71st minute when Ospina came out for a corner and missed the ball completely, allowing Cabaye to score with an easy tap-in. Ospina atoned for his error by stopping the last goal-scoring opportunity of the match after Hazard beat 3 defenders, tipping the latter's shot onto the post.


Marseille 1-3 Lyon - Lyon showed a bit of spark in this match, knocking Marseille off their spot atop the Ligue 1 table. The latter club started off more strongly, however, with Niang hitting the post and Valbuena and Brandao forcing saves from Lyon GK Lloris. In the 31st minute Brandao took down Ederson in the box, and Benzema stepped up to slam home the resulting PK. He completed his brace in the 42nd minute, finishing off a through-ball from Toulalan. Marseille began to push back, with Cheyrou hitting the post, and Niang was twice denied an appeal for a penalty. They finally scored in the 80th minute when Wiltord finished off a cross from Niang, but it came far too late. Juninho ended the scoring in the 91st minute with a well-struck free-kick.



So, after Matchday 36 the top of the table looks like this: (1) Bordeaux, with 74 points on a 22-8-6 record and a +28 goal differential; (2) Marseille, with 71 points on a 20-11-5 record and a +27 goal differential; (3) Lyon, with 67 points on a 19-10-7 record and a +21 goal differential; and (4) Paris Saint-Germain, with 63 points on a 19-6-11 record and a +12 goal differential.

Read more on "Ligue 1 Weekend Review"...

Ligue 1 Mid-Week Review

Matchday 35 in Ligue 1 was pushed to mid-week due to the Coupe de France finals this past weekend, with 1 match on Tuesday and the rest on Wednesday. Apparently some of the players were upset at missing out on Salma Hayek, because these matches featured quite a few cards and many goals scored in anger. The result of the week goes to Sochaux-Montbeliard, who destroyed Monaco 3-0 to move out of the drop zone.



Tuesday, May 12th:

Lyon 3-0 Nantes - Lyon started early in this match, with a Juninho cross headed by Ederson to Makoun, who scored with a header of his own, in the 7th minute. In the 14th minute another Juninho cross was headed by Cris, but Nantes GK Alonzo was up to the task. A few minutes later the ever-dangerous Juninho lashed a free-kick that Alonzo did well to stop. The 2nd goal came in the 34th minute after some excellent work from Delgado, Benzema and Juninho, who set up Makoun for his brace with an easy tap-in. Nantes had their only shot in the 50th minute, with a Moullec volley going just wide. The final goal came in the 79th minute when Kallstrom sent in a cross for Mounier to finish off with a header.



Wednesday, May 13th:

Auxerre 2-0 Grenoble - Auxerre dominated this match from the beginning, allowing Grenoble only 3 shots (with only 1 of those on goal). In the 5th minute Jelen went down in the box after contact from Grenoble GK Wimbee and was awarded a YC for simulation amid calls for a PK. In the 10th minute a corner from Pedretti was sent just wide by Chafni. The goal finally came in the 37th minute when a shot from Pedretti was pushed out by Wimbee, but only as far as Jelen for the finish (cementing his GSTGC award for the week). Just 2 minutes later Jelen was easily in on goal, but he passed to Chafni who hit the post. Grenoble got their lone shot in the 60th minute when El Moubarak was stopped 1-on-1 by Auxerre GK Sorin. Jelen completed his brace in the 74th minute when Pedretti split the defense and sent the pass through, which he completed with a lob of Wimbee.



Le Havre 2-4 Saint-Etienne - The former Ligue 1 power got a vital win to stave off relegation against Le Havre, who confirmed their own relegation with the loss. Saint-Etienne opened the scoring through Ilan, who was left unmarked in front of goal in the 4th minute. Le Havre responded in the 12th minute when Diallo sent home a corner from Noro. They then took the lead in the 18th minute after some miscommunication between Saint-Etienne GK Janot and his defender Bayal left Sambou to easily send home his header. Le Havre should have gone up by 2 goals in the 35th minute when Diallo was in alone on goal, but he put his shot straight at Janot. Bayal made up for his earlier defensive miscue in the 47th minute by heading home a corner from Payet for the equalizer. Saint-Etienne then should have taken the lead in the 60th minute when Gigliotti lobbed Le Havre GK Placide, but his shot was cleared off the line by Baca. The lead did come in the 69th minute, when Mirallas hit a stunning strike from 40 yards past a flat-footed Placide. The final goal came in the 92nd minute when substitute Riviere beat Placide to a long pass.


Le Mans 0-1 Paris Saint-Germain - In a closely contested match that saw few fouls and an equal number of shots on goal for each club, it was PSG who took the 3 points after holding on to an early lead. Despite playing without leading scorers Hoarau and Giuly, PSG got their goal in the 18th minute when Kezman finished off a cross from Sessegnon. In the 31st minute Rothen was stopped by Le Mans GK Pele, who also stopped Luyindula in the 53rd minute. Just 2 minutes later a Coutadeur free-kick was headed barely wide by Lamah, and in the 65th minute Cerdan had his shot tipped over the crossbar by PSG GK Landreau. Kezman could have had a brace in the 77th minute, but Pele was once again able to tip the shot wide. The match ended in a bit of controversy as there was a collision between Le Mans forward Helstad and PSG defender Ceara with no PK given in the 85th minute.


Nancy 2-2 Lorient - Despite being thoroughly outclassed, Nancy managed a draw thanks to a defensive gaffe. The 1st goal of the match was an OG from Lorient defender Saifi, as he inadvertently headed a cross into his own net in the 27th minute. Nancy were put on the back foot, however, in the 35th minute when Ouaddou received a straight RC for a bad tackle on Gameiro. This didn't seem to faze his teammates, as Sami scored on a bicycle kick in the 48th minute to take a 2-0 lead. The afore-mentioned Gameiro had the last laught, beating Nancy GK Gregorini 1-on-1 in the 53rd minute and completing his brace in the 82nd minute after Obertan had hit the post.


Nice 0-2 Marseille - Marseille got their 5th win in 6 matches to stay atop the Ligue 1 table despite only taking 2 corner kicks to 8 from Nice. In the 17th minute a nasty ben Saada free-kick was stopped by Marseille GK Mandanda, and Niang made them pay in the 26th minute by dribbling around 3 defenders and finishing easily. In the 30th minute ben Saada forced another save from Mandanda on a free-kick. Marseille got the final goal in the 60th minute on a quick counter-attack started by Mandanda and finished with a pass from Taiwo that was headed home by Brandao.


Rennes 1-0 Caen - Caen looked listless in this match, and if not for GK Plante the final scoreline would have been much worse. In the 17th minute ben Khalfallah had their best chance, hitting the crossbar. In the 22nd minute Asamoah forced a save from Plante, as did a volley from Pagis in the 27th minute. After the restart Deroin had the only remaining chance for Caen, but he was stopped by Rennes GK Douchez. The goal came in the 60th minute when Hansson headed home a cross from Mareveaux.


Sochaux 3-0 Monaco - Sochaux came out playing for their lives, and this evidenced by their pace and aggressiveness. In the 6th minute Perquis hit the bar, and 1 minute later Erdinq forced a save from Monaco GK Ruffier. In the 26th minute Martin sent home a low shot from close range. Park almost equalized in the 30th minute, but he was stopped by Sochaux GK Richert twice in quick succession. Immediately after the restart Monaco took a 2-0 when Modesto scored an OG while trying to clear a cross under pressure from Sverkos. The latter got a goal of his own in the 71st minute off a well-struck free-kick. Freddy Adu watch: On the bench, no PT. But he'll be back at Benfica soon!


Toulouse 0-0 Lille - Ligue 1-leading scorer Gignac almost increased his tally early in this match, hitting the side netting and forcing a save from Lille GK Butelle. In the 24th minute Balmont sent his shot just wide, and the clubs went into the half looking listless. Early in the second half Bastos was stopped by Toulouse GK Carrasso in quick succession, while Cabaye had his volley also stopped by Carrasso. Lille had 2 late chances to steal the 3 points, but Debuchy was stopped by Carrasso, and Hazard hit the post.


Valenciennes 1-2 Bordeaux - In a match that became increasingly contentious, Bordeaux gained a vital 3 points to keep pace with Marseille atop the table. In the 6th minute Audel had his header saved by Bordeaux GK Valverde, who was able to relax for most of the rest of the half. In the 22nd minute, however, Valverde was helpless to stop a PK from Danic after the latter had been fouled in the box by Chalme. Bordeaux began to exert some pressure, and Fernando headed home a Gourcuff free-kick in the 38th minute for the equalizer. In the 55th minute Gouffran forced a save from Valenciennes GK Penneteau, and shortly after Valenciennes gaffer (rumoured to be on the short list for the PSG position) was dismissed from the touchline. This proved to be a fatal distraction as Chalme sent in a cross in the 83rd minute that Gourcuff finished with a beautiful diving header. 2 minutes later Valenciennes were down to 10 men when Tiene received his 2nd YC, and Pieroni put them down to 9 men in the 91st minute (when Penneteau also received a YC) by collecting 2 YCs in the same minute.





So, after Matchday 35 the top of the table looks like this: (1) Marseille, with 71 points on a 20-11-4 record and a +29 goal differential; (2) Bordeaux, with 71 points on a 21-8-6 record and a +27 goal differential; (3) Lyon, with 64 points on an 18-10-7 record and a +19 goal differential; and (4) Paris Saint-Germain, with 63 points on a 19-6-10 record and a +13 goal differential.

Read more on "Ligue 1 Mid-Week Review"...

Ligue 1 Weekend Review

A few snoozers this week, and increased confusion for some at the top of the table due to some surprising results. The result of the week goes to Bordeaux, who downed Sochaux 3-0 to move into a tie for first place in Ligue 1.



Saturday, May 2nd:

Caen 3-1 Le Mans- Caen struck early and applied pressure throughout the entire match for a well-deserved win. They went ahead in the 8th minute when Barzola latched onto a poor clearance from Maiga and blasted his shot home. Le Mans equalized in the 27th minute on a brilliant free-kick from Cerdan, but their only other chance of the match came in the 40th minute when Maiga sent his shot just over the bar. In the 42nd minute Deroin had his volley stopped by Le Mans GK Pele, but 10 minutes later Caen had their 2nd goal when Seube finished off an easy pass from ben Khalfalah. In the 56th minute Savidan was stopped by Pele, but Deroin finished off the rebound to secure the 3 points. The damage could have been worse, as a Proment free-kick in the 60th minute almost resulted in an OG from Le Mans defender Geder.


Grenoble 0-0 Nice - In a match that was a bit of a snoozer, Nice had the better early tempo, with Echouafni just heading wide a ben Saada free-kick. Grenoble began to pressure back, with Toure sending a shot just over the bar and Courtois volleying a corner from Batlles off the post. The 2 hooked up again a few minutes later, this time eliciting a save from Nice GK Ospina. In the second half Remy sent a shot just over the bar for Nice's best chance, while a Batlles free-kick was headed over the bar by Paillot in injury time for Grenoble's best effort.


Lorient 3-1 Lille - Lille continued their tumble away from European competition with their 3rd straight loss despite scoring first and dominating early. The goal came in the 36th minute when Cabaye chested down a cross from Bria and volleyed home the shot. Lorient began to push back, and Ayew hit the bar in the 43rd minute. Immediately after the restart Lille GK Malicki did well to stop a corner from Jouffre that was drifting into the goal, but Lorient got their equalizer in the 64th minute when Ciani headed home a Vahirua corner. They took the lead in the 87th minute when Saifi dribbled through the entire defense after a defensive mistake, and added a 3rd goal in the 89th minute when Vahirua played Abriel through for an easy finish on a counter.




Monaco 0-1 Auxerre - Auxerre thoroughly dominated a listless Monaco club and deserved the 3 points. In the 15th minute Jelen volleyed a pass from Oliech just wide of the post, while in the 25th minute Coulibaly sent his volley smashing into that same post. Just 1 minute later Pedretti sent in a cross that was headed home by Kahlenberg for the only goal of the match. Monaco did not get their first real opportunity until the 61st minute when Perez was stopped by Auxerre GK Sorin. Oliech almost doubled the tally in the 63rd minute when his shot was deflected by defender Nkoulou, but it hit the bar. Freddy Adu watch: Once again on the bench, but no PT despite all 3 substitutions being used in this match. LET MY FREDDY GO!


Saint-Etienne 0-0 Nancy - This battle of bottom-dwellers featured more YCs than shots for Nancy, and an inept Saint-Etienne offense that managed only 5 shots on goal despite taking 20 shots in total. In the 13th minute N'Guemo had his free-kick stopped by Saint-Etienne GK Janot, as did Feret a few minutes later. On the other end of the pitch Nancy GK Gregorini was called upon to make saves on Payet and Gomis (whose shot was directly at the GK). The second half was equally ugly, with Payet stopped Gregorini yet again, and Ilan shooting over the bar. The end of the match featured 2 excellent saves from Janot, who stopped both Dia and Ndiaye from stealing the 3 points.


Valenciennes 2-0 Lyon - It took Audel precisely 6 minutes to destroy Lyon's season, as the defending champions are now 7 points adrift with only 4 matches left. In the 6th minute Santos was stopped by Valenciennes GK Penneteau and then the nightmare began. Audel scored his first in the 23rd minute after beating Boumsong following a quick throw-in to easily finish, and completed his brace in the 29th minute after he left the Lyon defense staring as he went 1-on-1 with GK Lloris and finished coolly. Just before the half Ederson hit the post, but Lyon went into the dressing room demoralized. Almost immediately after the restart Audel should have completed his hat-trick, but he sent his shot over the bar. Lyon then appeared to realize that they were losing, and began to exert some effort. However, Penneteau was up to the task, stopping both Benzema and Ederson to preserve the victory.




Marseille 2-2 Toulouse - In the most exciting match of the weekend, Marseille twice came back from being 1 goal down to preserve their spot atop the table. In reality, Toulouse were lucky to achieve the draw, as they had only 2 shots on goal (with both going in) and held only 38% of the possession. Marseille should have scored first, as a shot from Valbuena beat Toulouse GK Carrasso but was headed off the line by defender Cetto. Didot had 2 good opportunities for Toulouse, but he volleyed 1 wide and hit the crossbar with his other shot. Immediately after the restart ben Arfa elicited 2 saves in quick succession from Carrasso, and Gignac rewarded his GK's efforts in the 48th minute by slotting home a loose ball through Marseille GK Mandanda's legs. In the 55th minute Carrasso made 2 brilliant saves, diving to stop a shot from Niang and then scrambling back to get to the attempted lob from Cheyrou. The latter 2 players, however, would get their revenge in the 63rd minute when a Cheyrou cross was finished off by a Niang header for the first equalizer. Cheyrou and ben Arfa were then stopped again by Carrasso, who put forth an unbelievable effort during this match. Toulouse re-took the lead in the 73rd when Gignac finished his brace (and garnered the GSTGC award for the week) after receiving a well-weighted pass from Braaten on the counter. But Niang completed his brace just 1 minute later, getting some help from a deflection after shooting from a difficult angle. The remaining 15 minutes were alternately frantic and composed, but neither side was able to get a 3rd goal. At the end of the match, outgoing Marseille gaffer Gerets actually went across the pitch to congratulate Carrasso on his wonderful performance, which was a classy move.




Sunday, May 3rd:

Nantes 1-2 Le Havre - In a clean, well-played match, Le Havre got goals on either side of the half against fellow relegation-fodder Nantes. The latter club got on the scoresheet first, as Bekamenga sent home a powerful shot in the 24th minute. In the 32nd minute Alla was stopped by Nantes GK Alonzo, who also stopped a volley from Alla in the 37th minute. Le Havre got their equalizer in the 40th minute when Dieuze sent over a pass from an Anin cross that was headed home by Diallo. Bekamenga was denied a brace in the 52nd minute by Le Havre GK Placide, who also stopped da Rocha in the 57th minute. The winning goal came in the 61st minute when a ben Idir corner was only cleared as far as Marange, who brought the ball back into the area before unleashing his shot.




Paris Saint-Germain 0-1 Rennes - PSG suffered a blow in their attempts to secure a Champions League spot for next year at the hands of Stade Rennais and an unfortunate goal. The club from the capital, playing without Hoarau (who failed a late fitness test) had opportunities from 9 corners, but they were unable to break through. In the 17th minute a pass from Giuly was shot across the face of goal by Sessegnon, who later also sent a shot just wide of the post. In the 20th minute Thomert provided the only opportunity of the half for Rennes, shooting over the crossbar. The goal came in the 66th minute when a shot from Leroy was deflected in by defender Sakha. PSG continued to pressure, but Clement and Sessegnon shot wide, while Makelele was stopped by Rennes GK Douchez.


Bordeaux 3-0 Sochaux - Bordeaux completely dominated this match and moved into a tie for first place (on points) with Marseille. In the 7th minute Sertic exhibited some nice control on a pass from Chalme, spinning and firing home his shot in one motion. Chalme was also the provider in the 15th minute when he chipped a pass through for a header from Gourcuff. Sochaux did not threaten until the end of the first half, when Erdinq shot just over the bar and Boudebouz hit the crossbar. Bordeaux started the second half with the same amount of pressure as the first, with Fernando heading just wide and Bellion hitting the crossbar. Already down by 2 goals, Sochaux then went down a man in the 83rd minute when Afolabi received his second YC for tripping Chamakh. Just for good measure, the latter the headed home a cross from Tremoulinas in injury time for the final goal.





So, after Matchday 34 the top of the table looks like this: (1) Marseille, with 68 points on a 19-11-4 record and a +27 goal differential; (2) Bordeaux, with 68 points on a 20-8-6 record and a +26 goal differential; (3) Lyon, with 61 points on a 17-10-7 record and a +16 goal differential; (4) Paris Saint-Germain, with 60 points on an 18-6-10 record and a +12 goal differential.

Read more on "Ligue 1 Weekend Review"...

Ligue 1 Weekend Review (Update)

This week saw only 1 contender for the GSTGC award, although there were plenty of cards to go around. Lyon fail to gain points on Marseille in their quest for an 8th straight Ligue 1 title, while Bordeaux do not play until Wednesday. The result of the week goes to FC Lorient, who get 1 point out of their match with in-form Toulouse, which is enough to insure that they avoid the drop.


Friday, April 24th:

Lyon 0-0 Paris Saint-Germain - Despite almost complete dominance from Lyon (61% of the possession, 9 corners to 0 for PSG) the match ended in a draw to further dash their hopes of an 8th straight title. Each club had chances early, with Juninho and Rothen both shooting just wide. In the 30th minute Benzema also sent a shot wide. The 44th minute saw a bit of controversy as Ceara appeared to handle the ball in the box but Lyon were denied a PK. In the 57th minute Hoarau was stopped 1-on-1 by Lyon GK Lloris, while a short while later PSG GK Landreau easily saved efforts from Clerc and Juninho. Benzema had the final chance of the match, but he hit the post.



Sunday, April 26th:

Auxerre 2-1 Caen - Auxerre outshot Caen 11-2 and were rewarded for their efforts with 2 late goals to take the 3 points. In the 7th minute Jelen was stopped by Caen GK Plante, who repeated the feat in the 20th minute. At the other end Lemaitre had his header stopped by Auxerre GK Sorin. The second half began the same as the first, with Jelen stopped by Plante in the 48th minute. The opening goal came in the 62nd minute on a Proment strike from 18 yards. The match looked lost for Auxerre until the 86th minute when Gomis sent a poor backpass to Plante that was stolen by Jelen for an easy finish. Just 3 minutes later Jelen completed his brace when he lobbed Plante after Kitambala had dispossessed the defense.




Le Havre 0-1 Grenoble - Grenoble was outshot 1-7, but they made their only shot on goal count while their GK Wimbee made save after save to preserve the victory. Early shots from Baca, Alla and Noro were all stopped by Grenoble GK Wimbee, while his teammates did not threaten his opposite until a Toure free-kick off the crossbar in the 32nd minute. The goal came in the 41st minute due to some excellent passing from Courtois to Moreira, ending with an easy tap-in for Boya. Immediately after the restart Alassane was stopped by Wimbee, who then made an excellent double-save on Noro in the 58th minute. Le Havre almost equalized in injury time after a Dieuze header beat Wimbee, but the shot was cleared off the line by defender Regragui.


Le Mans 0-1 Monaco - Although Le Mans had 8 corners from which to threaten, they were unable to make any of them count and lost the match in disappointing fashion on a late goal. They threatened early through Gervinho, but Monaco GK Ruffier was up to the task. On the ensuing counter-attack Pino sent his shot just over the crossbar. In the 43rd minute a shot from Le Tallec was punched out by Ruffier and the rebound, sent back in by Corchia, was saved as well. Early in the second half Park was stopped in a 1-on-1 situation by Le Mans GK Pele, but the former would make up for his miss in the 87th minute with his cool finish for the winner. Freddy Adu watch: 3rd straight game on the bench without getting into the match. No surprise here, since this match was so tight.


Nancy 2-0 Nantes - A frustrated, relegation-threatened, Nantes committed 26 fouls and only got off 2 shots on goal in a match that they never looked like winning. Their best chance came in the 1st minute when Mareval had his shot stopped by Nancy GK Gregorini. In the 5th minute Feret sent his shot barely wide, and then he forced a save from Nantes GK Assembe in the 18th minute. Feret would get his goal in the 56th minute on an excellent free-kick, although Nantes should have equalized 2 minutes later when Klasnic sent his shot wide. In the 70th minute Assembe fouled Dia in the box for a PK. Although the GK was not given a card, Luiz stepped up and sent home the PK for a 2-0 lead. Nantes had 2 more late chances, but Heinz sent his shot over the bar and Babovic shot just wide.




Nice 3-1 Saint-Etienne - Saint-Etienne had 62% of the possession but were bossed all over the pitch by an in-form Nice squad. Machado provided early pressure for Saint-Etienne, shooting over the crossbar in the 2nd minute and sending a free-kick just wide in the 3rd minute. Nice responded through a shot from Apam that went wide in the 11th minute and a strike from Remy in the 19th minute that forced a save from Saint-Etienne GK Janot. Nice broke through in the 23rd minute when Remy played ben Saada through on a counter-attack, followed by the latter hitting the post 4 minutes later. Just before the break disaster struck for Saint-Etienne as a Hognon header resulted in an OG from defender Tavlaridis. The final goal for Nice came in the 73rd minute when Ozokwo played a through-ball for Mouloungui on yet another counter-attack. The lone goal for Saint-Etienne came in the 94th minute when Ilan headed home a cross from Landrin.




Sochaux 1-1 Valenciennes - In one of the most well-contested matches of the weekend, Sochaux earned a vital point to move out of the relegation zone. This match was all about goal-keeping, as Valenciennes GK Penneteau was tested early by Erdinq and Dalmat, while Sochaux GK Richert stopped shots from Bangoura and Pujol. Richert, however, would earn a RC in the 53rd minute for taking down Audel outside the area, and was replaced by Gavanon. With a 1-man advantage, Valenciennes used some excellent passing from Audel and Pujol to provide an easy finish for Bangoura in the 62nd minute. Sochaux, however, responded well as they knew they were fighting to stay up in Ligue 1. A 30-yard free-kick was well-saved by Penneteau, and Sverkos was denied as well. The pressure paid off in the 94th minute when Traore was adjudged to have handled the ball in the box and Sverkos sent home the resulting PK for the draw.


Toulouse 1-1 Lorient - Although Ligue 1-leading scorer Gignac had 2 early efforts go just wide, the goals in this match did not come until the very end in a draw that was well-deserved (or undeserved, depending on your point of view) for both clubs. In the 26th minute Gameiro sent a volley over the crossbar, and his teammates capitalized on a poor clearance from Toulouse GK Carrasso just minutes later to send in a shot, only to see it cleared off the line by Toulouse defender Fofana. In the 50th minute Gameiro was denied by the well-worked Carrasso, who repeated the feat 10 minutes later. The goal for Lorient came in the 86th minute after some excellent passing from Abriel, Gameiro and Mansouri, who played it to Ayew for an easy finish (Ayew received a YC for "excessive celebration", disqualifying him from the GSTGC award). Toulouse equalized just 2 minutes later when Lorient GK Cappone slipped while trying to control a backpass and Didot stole the ball for a pass and easy finish from Cetto.




Lille 1-2 Marseille - Marseille got their 6th win a row to take an even bigger lead atop the Ligue 1 table, although they needed 2 second half goals to do so. In the 15th minute Beria appeared to grab Niang, but Marseille were denied their shouts for a PK. A penalty did come in the 40th minute, but it was for Lille as Zubar was adjudged to have committed a handball in the box. Fortunately for L'OM, GK Mandanda saved the PK taken by Bastos. Lille opened the scoring in the 48th minute with Hazard finishing off a pass from Vittek, but Marseille equalized in the 54th minute when Cheyrou volleyed home a cross from Kabore. Just 3 minutes later Marseille took the lead when Niang finished off a pass from Valbuena, and Marseille managed to hang on for the 3 points after defender Civelli cleared a shot from Hazard off the line.





Wednesday, April 29th:

Rennes 2-3 Bordeaux - Rennes got off to a cracking start with the quickest goal of the Ligue 1 season. Bocanegra's cross was headed by Thomert to Sow, who sent a quick pass to Danze for the finish in 18 seconds. Sow almost had a goal of his own in the 10th minute, but he could not control the cross in time. Things looked even worse for Bordeaux in the 26th minute when Planus received a straight RC for a late tackle on Sow (with reports indicating it was a harsh RC decision). Despite being down to 10 men, they maintained their composure and finished the half down only 1 goal. Bordeaux increased the pressure in the second half, with Gouffran sending home a volley in the 62nd minute. Gourcuff added another for Bordeaux in the 70th minute with a well-struck free-kick. Sow finally got his goal in the 89th minute to equalize for Rennes and the points looked like they would be split. However, Gourcuff scored in the 93rd minute with the last kick of the match to secure the 3 points and move further ahead of Lyon in the table.





So, after Matchday 33, the top of the table looks like this: (1) Marseille, with 67 points on a 19-10-4 record and a +27 goal differential; (2) Bordeaux, with 62 points on an 18-8-6 record and a +22 goal differential; (3) Lyon, with 61 points on a 17-10-6 record and a +18 goal differential; and (4) Paris Saint-Germain, with 60 points on an 18-6-9 record and a +13 goal differential.

NOTE: Bordeaux plays Rennes on Wednesday, but obviously they will remain in 2nd place regardless of that result. They can move to within 2 points with a win, or stay only 1 point ahead of Lyon with a loss.

UPDATE: (2) Bordeaux, with 65 points on a 19-8-6 record and a +23 goal differential.

Read more on "Ligue 1 Weekend Review (Update)"...

Ligue 1 Weekend Review

For the first time we have a repeat (well, back-to-back) winner for the result of the week. Marseille edged out Lorient 2-1 to maintain their spot at the top of the table, putting them 4 points ahead of Lyon (who fall to 3rd). We also had cards galore and a renewed interest amongst the players in obtaining the coveted "Goal-scorer to get carded" award (oh, you can bet they know about it).

Saturday, April 18th:

Caen 1-2 Nancy - Despite outshooting and outpossessing Nancy, Caen lost the match and fell into the relegation zone. Nancy came out of the gates firing, with Hadji slamming home a cross from Feret in the 2nd minute. In the 11th minute Hadji tried to turn provider, but recipient Dia hit the post with his volley. Caen then began to apply pressure, with Savidan twice forcing a save from Nancy GK Gregorini. The pressure paid off in first-half stoppage time when Yatabare latched onto a poor clearance from defender Sami and put home his 1st Ligue 1 goal for the equalizer. The pressure continued on the other side of half-time, with Nivet forcing another save from Gregorini in the 48th minute. However, Nancy began to push back as Gavanon hit the crossbar with a free-kick in the 60th minute. The match-winner came in the 86th minute when Feret notched his 2nd assist of the match, sending through Adjet for a finish at the top of the box.

Grenoble 1-0 Toulouse - In a match with few true chances, it was a PK that decided the affair. In the 15th minute Sirieix was stopped by Toulouse GK Carrasso, while just 3 minutes later Gignac was denied by Grenoble GK Wimbee. The goal came in the 39th minute when Capoue committed a handball in the box and Courtois stepped up to cooly finish off the resulting PK. Courtois should have had an assist as well, in the 50th minute, but Traore headed his cross over the bar. Toulouse had 1 final chance at an equalizer in the 87th minute but Pentecoute hit the post.

Monaco 3-1 Rennes - You could have turned this match on in the 65th minute and still seen the majority of the action. There were a few chances early, with a volley from Leroy tipped over the bar by Monaco GK Ruffier in the 6th minute and Hansson sending a header from the resulting corner over the bar. In the 40th minute Park put his header onto the post, and in the 45th minute Danze shot over the bar. The second half started where the first half ended, with pressure from Monaco. The goal finally came in the 76th minute when Aubey received a straight RC for a heinous tackle in the box and Leko slammed home the resulting PK. In the 84th minute Pino cooly finished off a burst of speed by sliding his shot past Rennes GK Douchez. Just 1 minute later Rennes pulled 1 goal back on a brilliant Cheyrou free-kick, but it wasn't enough. Pino completed his brace in the 93rd minute on the equivalent of a hockey empty-netter, on a counter-attack after the entire Rennes squad had come up the pitch for a corner. Freddy Adu watch: Brace yourselves, people! Back-to-back games on the bench! OK, he didn't play, but it's progress.



Nantes 2-0 Nice - In a match that featured end-to-end action in terms of both cards and attempts on goal, it was fitting that the first opportunity came in the 1st minute, with Capoue sending his header onto the post. In the 12th minute Vainquer hit the underside of the bar, but Nice GK Ospina was able to make the save. In the 19th minute Mareval sent in a cross which was well-volleyed by Bekamenga for the opening goal. Nice saw their chances diminished as Cid picked up a YC on either side of the half, sending them down to 10 men in the 56th minute. Ospina was then forced into a nice save of a de Freitas free-kick in the 60th minute, and again to stop a volley from Bagayoko in the 65th minute. However, the latter broke through in the 90th minute when he finished off a nice pass from Mareval and won the GSTGC award in the process.

Sochaux 0-1 Auxerre - Auxerre started quickly, with Jelen putting a shot over the crossbar in the 1st minute and Kahlenberg forcing Sochaux GK Richert into a good save in the 5th minute. The first opportunity for Sochaux came in the 22nd minute when Sverkos was stopped by Auxerre GK Sorin. The second half started identically to the first, with Jelen putting a shot over the crossbar in the 47th minute. The next 40 minutes saw almost no action, with the next chance resulting in a goal by Kahlenberg in the 86th minute. Grichting had provided the cross for Oliech, whose shot was pushed out by Richert only to land at the feet of Kahlenberg. Auxerre should have added another goal, but Richert did well to stop Oliech in the 88th minute and Niculae in the 93rd minute.

Valenciennes 0-2 Le Mans - Le Mans dominated the match from start to finish, opening the pressure in the 8th minute with a Coutadeur free-kick headed wide by Gervinho. In the 25th minute a Coutadeur corner was headed off the post by Cerdan, and in the 38th minute Lamah sent a shot over the bar. Valenciennes had their first chance just after the restart, with Sanic volleying a corner from Danic over the crossbar. Le Mans struck immediately after, Cerdan sending home a powerful shot in the 49th minute. The final goal came in the 67th minute, with Le Tallec heading home a cross from Camara.

Saint-Etienne 2-1 Lille - In one of the most exciting matches of the weekend Saint-Etienne had as many YCs as shots on goal (thanks to 29 fouls, to 19 for Lille) and ran their opponents ragged. In the 3rd minute Machado (on loan from CL side Porto) hit the post with a free-kick, starting off his busy afternoon. He then had a shot stopped by Lille GK Malicki in the 21st minute, hit the crossbar with a free-kick in the 30th minute, and had a free-kick saved by Malicki in the 38th minute. The initial goal came in the 51st minute when Ilan finished off a pass from Gomis to give Saint-Etienne the lead. Lille almost equalized in the 55th minute when a Bastos free-kick was headed towards the goal by Obraniak, but Saint-Etienne GK Janot was up to the task. Just 5 minutes later Janot was injured in a collision with Fauvergue and had to be replaced by Coulibaly. The next goal came in the 66th minute after some nice interplay started off and finished by Gomis, with passes coming from Machado and Mirallas in between. Lille pulled 1 goal back in the 72nd minute whe Fauvergue beat Coulibaly to a cross, but the latter was able to prevent an equalizer by stopping Cabaye in the 75th minute.

Sunday, April 19th:

Lorient 1-2 Marseille - Amidst an early goal from Lorient and some late handbags, Marseille completely dominated the match and deserved to take the 3 points to maintain their lead atop the Ligue 1 standings. Lorient struck first in the 8th minute with Gameiro receiving a long ball from Amalfitano and dribbling around Marseille GK Mandanda. In the 12th minute Brandao was stopped by Lorient GK Audard, and he cheekily pushed the GK (and ball) into the net but was not awarded the goal (and rightly so). Audard seemed injured on the play, and he had to be replaced by Cappone in the 25th minute. Just before the half Cappone was called into action to stop a well-struck shot from Kone. Marseille got their equalizer in the 59th minute when a shot from Wiltord was pushed out by Cappone, only to land at the feet of Civelli for an easy tap-in. Their next goal came in the 79th minute when Brandao finished off a cross from Ziani. Lorient looked to equalize, but Saifi was stopped by Mandanda. The match ended on a down note, with Cana (OM) and Le Lan (Lorient) both receiving straight RCs for a donnybrook over a disputed throw-in.



Paris Saint-Germain 3-0 Le Havre - PSG came out determined to move back into the top 4 and they put Le Havre to the sword. Early on Noro was stopped by PSG GK Landreau, and the club from the capital then began to apply steady pressure. Giuly sent successuve volleys over the bar and wide, to which Le Havre responded with their only effort of the match, having ben Idir stopped by Landreau. The initial goal came in the 41st minute when Giuly finished off a well-weighted through-ball from Rothen. In the 54th minute the latter got a goal of his own after some clinical passing from Armand to Giuly to Hoarau. Sessegnon then sent a shot barely wide, but PSG weren't done as Hoarau slid a goal under Le Havre GK Revault in the 90th minute.



Bordeaux 1-0 Lyon - With a chance to maintain some pressure on Marseille, Lyon instead suffered defeat to slip to 3rd in the table. In the 5th minute Ederson was tackled in the box by Chalme, but despite Lyon's insistence no PK was awarded. Benzema then applied pressure, shooting over the crossbar and then forcing a save from Bordeaux GK Rame. Bordeaux responded, with Diawara sending a volley over the crossbar in the 25th minute, followed by shots from Gouffran going barely wide and just over the crossbar. The goal came in the 43rd minute as a shot from Wendel crashed off the post and Diarra sent home the rebound (helped by a deflection off Boumsong). In the 60th minute a shot from Gouffran produced a great save from Lyon GK Lloris. Benzema should have equalized in the 75th minute after a great run, but his lob went over the crossbar, and Lyon left the pitch disconsolate.



So, after Matchday 32 the top of the table looks like this: (1) Marseille, with 64 points on an 18-10-4 record and a +26 goal differential; (2) Bordeaux, with 62 points on an 18-8-6 record and a +22 goal differential; (3) Lyon, with 60 points on a 17-9-6 record and a +18 goal differential; and (4) Paris Saint-Germain, with 59 points on an 18-5-9 record and a +13 goal differential.

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Ligue 1 Weekend Review

This week saw numerous clubs go without a goal and a shake-up at the top of the table. The result of the week goes to Marseille, as L'OM destroyed Grenoble 4-1 to take them into first place in Ligue 1.



Saturday, April 11th:

Auxerre 0-2 Bordeaux - The Brazilians were out in force for Bordeaux in this match, with Fernando and Wendel making things seem hopeless for Auxerre. Kahlenberg got off the first shot for the latter club, but it was easily saved by Bordeaux GK Rame. Fernando then scored the 1st goal in the 34th minute with a header off a Wendel corner. Birsa had a chance to equalize, but his header came back off the crossbar. In the 77th minute Wendel had his free-kick stopped by Auxerre GK Sorin, but just 3 minutes later Wendel sent home the deciding goal.


Le Havre 1-2 Caen - Caen picked up their first win since November despite Le Havre having 8 corner kicks (to 1 for Caen) from which to threaten. In the 5th minute a Savidan volley was saved by Le Havre GK Revault, but the latter was unable to stop Savidan again in the 20th minute after he sent home a 1-timer from an excellent Yatabare pass. Noro attempted to equalize with a free-kick in the 30th minute, but Caen GK Plante was well-positioned to stop the attempt. The equalizer did come in the 42nd minute when Alassane finished off a one-two with Alla. They could have even taken the lead just before the half, but Revault did well to stop a shot from ben Khalfallah. Caen then came out with increased pressure in the second half, as Nivet blasted a shot off the crossbar in the 47th minute. Their efforts were rewarded in the 87th minute when Lemaitre headed home a corner from Eluchans.


Le Mans 2-0 Sochaux - Le Mans had won only 1 of their last 14 matches before this, but get a well-deserved win here. In the 2nd minute Lamah had his header saved by Sochaux GK Richert, and a few minutes later Maiga had his shot barely cleared off the line by Perquis. Goulon then sent a shot over the crossbar. Le Mans finally got their goal in the 36th minute when Gervinho had his shot cleared by Richert, but only as far as Lamah, who sent home the rebound. In the 40th minute Gervinho should have had a goal of his own, but his free-kick was saved by Richert. Sochaux finally got an attempt on goal in the 60th minute, but Erdinq was easily stopped by Le Mans GK Pele. The second goal came in the 87th minute after Maiga finished off a defensive mistake by Mikari.


Nancy 2-0 Valenciennes - In a match where they were outshot 8-1, it wasn't until the very end that things fell apart for Valenciennes. In the 3rd minute Dia had his shot saved by Valenciennes GK Penneteau, and then Darcheville began to apply pressure for the latter club. However, Nancy responded in the second half through Hadji, who forced a save from Penneteau in the 47th minute and shot just wide in the 67th minute. In the 87th minute Darcheville and Macaluso traded headers, but neither club was able to break through. In the 91st minute Macaluso finally gave Nancy the lead with a header off a free-kick. Just 2 minutes later Traore was adjudged to have committed a handball in the area, and Hadji converted the resulting PK for the final tally.




Nice 2-0 Lorient - In a fairly even match, it was Loic Remy who made the difference for Nice. The southern club started strong, with Lorient GK Audard forced to hastily clear a Hellebuyck corner that threatened to go in directly in the 8th minute. In the 28th minute Vahirua had his free-kick poorly cleared by Kante, and Gameiro's resulting header was saved by Nice GK Ospina. Remy then struck in the second half, with both goals coming within minutes of each other. In the 58th minute Remy dribbled through the defense for a clinical finish, while in the 60th minute he finished off a one-two with Adeilson by dribbling through the defense to score again and complete his brace. Remy could have had at least a hat-trick, but he was twice denied by Audard. Lorient had 1 final chance at goal in the 88th minute, but Amalfitano was denied by Ospina.


Toulouse 1-0 Nantes - Toulouse controlled this match from the start, and earned the 3 points through some gritty play. However, the first true chance of the match came for Nantes, when an N'Daw free-kick was volleyed wide by Vainquer in the 23rd minute. In the 34th minute Mareval saw Toulouse GK Carrasso off his line and attempted to lob him, but Carrasso was able to recover. In the 41st minute Braaten sent in a well-struck corner that was headed wide by Mathieu, and Toulouse used that momentum to come out with pressure in the second half. The goal came in the 53rd minute when Didot played Braaten through, who then laid off a pass for an easy finish from Gignac. They almost struck again in the 65th minute, but a Didot free-kick deflected off Mathieu and then hit Nantes GK Alonzo in the chest and bounced out of play off the post. Mathieu was then on the other side off a deflection in the 72nd minute when his shot hit Nantes defender Pierre and went wide. Nantes had a final chance to equalize in the 90th minute but Carrasso did well to stop Abdoun.


Rennes 1-0 Saint-Etienne - In another of the weekend's well-played, even matches, Rennes eked out a win by scoring early in the second half and then hanging on for the next 40 minutes. In the 19th minute Dabo hit the crossbar for Saint-Etienne, and then Sow was stopped by Saint-Etienne GK Janot. Ilan then forced a save from Rennes GK Douchez, while Leroy hit the post in the 33rd minute. Saint-Etienne almost broke through just before the half, but Mirallas was stopped by Douchez. Almost immediately after the restart Danze sent home a header from a Sow cross for the goal. Machado and Mirallas then both forced saves from Douchez, but Rennes managed to hang on.



Sunday, April 12th:

Marseille 4-1 Grenoble - Marseille came out ready for this match after their disappointing loss in the UEFA Cup this past week, but they did not break through until the second half. The first goal came in the 52nd minute when Batlles fouled Valbuena in the box and Taiwo sent home the resulting PK. Just 4 minutes later Valbuena was involved again, as his free-kick was headed in by Hilton. Taiwo then completed his brace in the 65th minute with a brilliant free-kick. Wiltord almost had a goal off a 1-timer from a ben Arfa free-kick, but Grenoble GK Wimbee was able to make the save. The 4th goal would still come, however, when ben Arfa played Brandao through in the 89th minute for an easy finish. Grenoble did manage to get a goal back in the 93rd minute when Courtois sent a pass from Dimitrijevic into the upper corner, but it was far too late.




Lille 0-0 Paris Saint-Germain - In the most listless match of the week, both clubs fell further adrift of the top of the table. Lille had the better chances in the match, getting off 4 shots on goal to only 1 for PSG. Bastos sent an early free-kick directly at PSG GK Landreau, while Vittek sent his shot over the bar. Balmont then put another shot wide, while Hazard and Bastos elicited more saves from Landreau. PSG had their only shot on goal from Sessegnon in the second half, while Bastos had 1 final effort for Lille.


Lyon 2-2 Monaco - Lyon only managed a draw against the club from the principality despite having 14 corners from which to threaten (to 0 for Monaco), thus falling to 2nd place in Ligue 1. The match began very slowly, with both clubs playing hesitantly. Monaco drew first blood in the 34th minute when Leko scored off a counter-attack (and picked up the GSTGC award for this week by default). Just 3 minutes later Benzema hit the post for Lyon, and he and his teammates were booed off the pitch at half-time by their home supporters. Leko should have had a brace in the 48th minute, but he sent his shot wide. Lyon then had Makoun and Juninho stopped by Monaco GK Ruffier, but they finally broke through in the 65th minute when Cris beat the onrushing Ruffier to a Juninho cross. Monaco re-took the lead 1 minute later when Pino took a through-ball from Gosso and dribbled around Lloris. Things looked bleak for Lyon, but Piquionne rescued 1 point in the 81st minute with an incredible bicycle kick. Freddy Adu watch: A sighting on the bench, but still no playing time.





So, after Matchday 31 the top of the table looks like this: (1) Marseille, with 61 points on a 17-10-4 record and a +25 goal differential; (2) Lyon, with 60 points on a 17-9-5 record and a +19 goal differential; (3) Bordeaux, with 59 points on a 17-8-6 record and a +21 goal differential; and (4) Toulouse, with 56 points on a 15-11-5 record and a +17 goal differential.

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