Saturday, April 10, 2010
Le Mans 2-2 Montpellier (report)
Racing Club de Lens 3-0 Boulogne-Sur-Mer
Lorient 1-1 Stade Rennais
Monaco 2-1 Valenciennes
Sochaux 0-2 Saint-Etienne
Toulouse 4-0 Grenoble
Paris Saint-Germain L-L Girondins de Bordeaux
Racing Club de Lens 3-0 Boulogne-Sur-Mer
Lens burst a negative sequence of results with a fine victory over Boulogne, who seem almost certain to be relegated after the weekend’s results.
Neither side enjoyed an especially productive start to the game, with the most notable incident of the first 15 minutes an early injury problem for home forward Issam Jemaa. Samba sow managed a shot in anger at the visiting goal after 23 minutes, and Jean-Francois Bedenik had to react smartly as a slight deflection increased the difficulty of the save.
On the half hour mark, USBCO showcased their counterattacking ability as Gregory Thil and Damien Marcq linked to setup a fine chance for Olivier Kapo, whose shot clattered off the upright. This was to prove a turning point as Lens were soon ahead, Toifilou Maoulida alive to a quick free kick to score.
Thil would have leveled after the break had it not been for a fine Vedran Runje block, and Lens quickly built on that let-off. Maoulida grabbed his second of the game, driving a low shot into the net after Eduardo and Henri Bedimo impressed down the left. Alaeddine Yahia steered a header off the post moments later as the hosts went for the kill.
The jugular of Boulogne was inevitably found by Maoulida, who completed his hat-trick with an angled drive that left Bedenik little chance and USBCO a beaten side.
Lorient 1-1 Stade Rennais
Nothing could separate Breton rivals Lorient and Rennes in this derby encounter.
The opening five minutes of play brought with them two tremendous chances for the home team. Kevin Gameiro would break clear of the defense but would be denied by a fine Nicolas Douchez save, and the goalkeeper excelled himself by blocking the follow-up from Marama Vahirua.
When Douchez was beaten with just four minutes on the clock, he was saved as Franco Sosa’ss header cracked the post from Vahirua’s free kick.
Les Rouge et Noir’s defending had left much to be desired in the opening stages, so it came as no surprise when Lorient moved into the lead. Vahirua was again the architect, sending Sigamary Diarra free down the left to cut inside Rod Fanni and blast home at the near post.
Les Merlus continued to look the better team, though they would be punished soon after Gameiro was again shut out by Douchez. Sylvain Marveaux’s free kick to the far post was knocked home by Romain Danze, leveling proceedings just before the break.
Chances were not so frequent after the break. Gameiro was surprised by a ball that reached his head and couldn’t react quickly enough to turn the ball on target, while Ismael Bangoura was blocked by Fabien Audard, ensuring parity at full-time.
Monaco 2-1 Valenciennes
Monaco finally got back into the habit of scoring as they recovered from a one-goal deficit to overcome Valenciennes.
All of Monaco’s last four Ligue 1 matches have ended scoreless, but les Monegasques nearly had themselves a goal after just four minutes, the width of the post denying Lukman Haruna from a free kick. Five minutes later they thought they did have that valuable strike, but Vincent Muratori’s effort was disallowed for offside.
Gradually VA battled their way back into the game, reduced to hopeful long range punts at first, but gradually growing ever more dangerous. And they would have their advantage on 36 minutes, when a Gael Danic free kick fizzed into the near post was turned home by Milan Bisevac after being missed by several bodies.
Guy Lacombe’s side had offered little since the opening stages but would draw level on the hour mark. Brazilian free kick specialist Nene lined an effort up from 30-yards, and he would have been delighted to see a deflection from the wall carry the ball into the visiting goal.
Valenciennes failed to recover from that blow and would soon ship a second goal to an increasingly confidence Monaco side. Great tenacity was required of Moussa Maazou as he tormented the northerners defense before squeezing a shot past Nicolas Penneteau from an inclement angle.
Sochaux 0-2 Saint-Etienne
Saint-Etienne’s victory against Sochaux almost certainly assures the Loire side top flight football next season, though they had to ride their luck for this success.
Much of the best early play came from the dominant Lionceaux, and twice in the opening stages Ideye Brown caused a menace of himself. Released down the left channel he was left free on Jeremie Janot’s goal, but he failed to beat the goalkeeper, while a firm shot from the Nigerian moments later was tipped away by the custodian.
Sainte responded through Gonzalo Bergessio, who flashed a shot wide from distance, but this was a rare venture into opposing territory for the guests, who would be pinned back for much of the first half, despite rarely looking uncomfortable defensively. Just before the interval, les Verts snatched an undeserved lead, when Dmitri Payet’s corner was flashed home at the near post by Loic Perrin.
Les Lionceaux continued to create the more meaningful chances after the interval. Edouard Butin crashed a shot off the bar before Marvin Martin and Ideye both had further efforts off target. The poor defending of Francis Gillot’s side would be punished one again when Bergessio was on hand to shoot home after a miscommunication in the home rearguard.
Francis Gillot’s side offered a number of tentative responses in the closing stages, but Sainte had made the break and were well clear.
Toulouse 4-0 Grenoble
Grenoble will be playing Ligue 2 football next season after a heavy defeat against Toulouse in the Pink City.
Only eight minutes were required for le Tefece to seize the initiative. Benevolent play from GF38’s defense allowed Andre-Pierre Gignac to collect the ball at a tight angle and shoot forcefully enough to force Jody Viviani to lose control of the rebound. Paulo Machado was quickly on the scene and he finished easily.
Gignac was reveling in his role as lone striker, creating a great deal for his team-mates. Intelligent play saw him lay a ball back to Moussa Sissoko to crush an effort goalwards, though his strike left the crossbar reverberating but the goal safe. Soon afterward the midfielder dallied too long when well placed, while Grenoble finally offered some resistance with a Nassim Akrour shot palmed away by Yohann Pele.
Sissoko would fire a warning shot wide early in the second and that did indeed act as a precursor to the second goal of the game. Machado and Franck Tabanou played a cheeky one-two on the edge of the area, with the young left-winger driving into the net after collecting a return pass from the Portuguese.
The visitors continued to fight, but the hosts had their tails up and scored a stunning third through Tabanou, who gracefully punished a poor clearance from the guests by lofting a superb finish into the net with 21 minutes remaining.
Gignac would cap the home side’s performance with a terrific fourth, gathering the ball on the edge of the area and smacking a terrific shot just inside Viviani’s post, firmly consigning GF38 to a heavy defeat and the second flight.
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