Ligue 1 Round-Up: Marseille Stutter Against Toulouse

Saturday, October 31, 2009

Auxerre 2-1 Montpellier
Girondins de Bordeaux 1-0 Monaco (Full Report)
Boulogne-Sur-Mer 1-2 Nancy
Grenoble Foot38 0-2 Lille
Racing Club de Lens 1-1 Lorient
Olympique de Marseille 1-1 Toulouse
Saint-Etienne L-L Olympique Lyonnais

Auxerre 2-1 Montpellier

The revival of AJA continues, with Jean Fernandez’s side recording a victory over Montpellier, who have now lost their last two.

Initially MHSC looked in decent touch, with a free kick from Alberto Costa narrowly clearing the bar, though by the time 30 minutes had passed Rene Girard’s side were very much in the dog house.

Ireneusz Jelen was the man who put them there, scoring the first completing the job after Aurelien Chedjou’s first effort was only parried by Geoffrey Jourdren.

Ten minutes later the guests were unlucky not to draw level, with Victor Hugo Montano’s shot saved by Olivier Sorin onto Philippe Delay, who saw the goalbound ball clattered away by Jean-Pascal Mignot.

This proved a crucial moment as Jelen swiftly added a second to his tally, smartly turning home the ball at the near post after good play down the right from Kamel Chafni.

Though Jelen went close to his hat-trick, Montpellier would be the better side. Costa hit the bar with a well-timed header and then scuffed a good chance minutes later. Joris Marveaux’s fizzing drive was met by the fingertips of Sorin with 20 minutes remaining.

Auxerre would improve after that moment, with Dennis Oliech hammering an effort off the horizontal. Costa would be sent to the showers only moments later after picking up a second booking.

Nenad Dzodic pulled a goal back deep into stoppage time, heading home a Romain Pitau corner.

Girondins de Bordeaux 1-0 Monaco

For a full report click here

Boulogne-Sur-Mer 1-2 Nancy

Boulogne were unfortunate to lose against a Nancy side who ended the game with ten men.

An early shot from Alexandre Cuvillier ensured that Nancy knew there hosts meant business and it stirred the visiting side sufficiently to prompt them to move ahead. Issiar Dia found room to side foot home past Ibrahima Kone, who would make a remarkable save from Djamel Bakar just before half-time.

In the interim, Boulogne, for all their lack of striking options, looked pretty bright and deservedly drew level. They didn’t have to suffer trailing for long, Cuvillier finishing neatly following a terrific cross from Anthony Lecointe.

Dia had a shot from distance skid narrowly wide, while at the other end Matt Moussilou and Johan Ramare would both send efforts tantalizingly off target before the pause.

Chances remained sparse after the interval, with Cuvillier’s effort that skidded just wide about as exciting as things got for the hosts, who were backed by a vociferous support.

A header from Paul Afo’o Efoulou passed narrowly wide of Kone’s goal Jordan Loties red card for a crazy kick at Ducatel seemed to have given the hosts the impetus again. However, Youssouf Hadji profited from an error from the young home custodian to smash a header home at the back post and win the game.

Grenoble Foot38 0-2 Lille

Grenoble continue to spin towards a record Ligue 1 losing streak, with Lille becoming the 11th successive side to defeat them this season in Le Championnat.

Despite going into the game without even having drawn a game since the end of last season, Grenoble looked lively and would force the returning Mickael Landreau into a number of saves.

Daisuke Matsui shot narrowly over before Pierre Boya messed up a terrific chance at the near post. Landreau then reacted brilliantly to deny Bostjan Cesar, who headed firmly at goal from a free kick.

Within seconds of making the block, Lille had moved ahead. Some terrific play in the middle of the park maneuvered enough space for Balmont, whose dinked center was met by Yohan Cabaye, who firmly converted.

A flurry of activity prior to half-time changed the course of the match. Landreau made another good block, this time from Alaixys Romao, before Danijel Ljuboja struck wide. However, David Jemmali’s crazy challenge from behind on Pierre-Alain Frau saw him showering before the half-time oranges were devoured.

Something of a crazy scramble just after the interval saw Lille nearly draw further ahead, but Adil Rami contrived to allowed Ronan Le Crom to save from close range. The same player would also fail to steer a difficult diving header on target when a goal looked possible.

LOSC dominated the third quarter of the game but would allow GF38 back into proceedings a little. Nassim Akrour was denied by a terrific save from Landreau, and Laurent Courtios would hit the bar from a deadball.

It was not be Grenoble’s night, with Gervinho showing a fine turn of speed late on to blast by two defenders and rifle home.

Racing Club de Lens 1-1 Lorient

Lorient missed the chance to really make an impression at the summit of Ligue 1, turning in a disappointing performance against Lens.

Little of note happened for much of the first half, which was a wholly disappointing affair. Lorient kept the ball without penetrating greatly for long periods, while their hosts were profligate with possession much too often.

Lens would use the ball better when the bossed the game, but only forced Fabien Audard to make a save from a routine Abdoulrazak Boukari skimmer. However, les Merlus’ goal was lucky to stay in tact when Sebastien Roudet had a shot cleared from the line by Arnaud Le Lan.

Only four minutes before the break, Christian Gourcuff’s side took something of an ill-deserved lead, Franco Sosa taking advantage of Kevin Gameiro’s good work to finish well.

However, Eduardo took only three second half minutes to level the game. Kevin Monnet-Paquet was the instigator, whipping in a terrific ball that was knocked home by the Brazilian.

With one hand on the game Lens were determined not to let go. Boukari hit the bar and moments later Monnet-Paquet was denied by Audard. Roudet would twice flash presentable efforts narrowly off target before a response from Morgan Amalfitano flew wildly over.

Although Olivier Monterrubio did his best in stoppage time to break the tie in stoppage time with an ambitious effort from distance, Vedran Runje punched clear and the draw was preserved.

Olympique de Marseille 1-1 Toulouse

Marseille will have been left seething as they failed to undo a stout Toulouse side who played over 80 minutes a man short.

It took only eight minutes for this game to seemingly swing crucially in Marseille’s favor. Mamadou Niang got in behind the visiting defense and was pulled down outside the box by goalkeeper Yohann Pele, who was dismissed for his action.

Try as they might for the next 20 minutes, OM could not puncture a whole in le Tefece’s rearguard. Lucho Gonzalez went closest with a free kick that narrowly cleared the crossbar.

Then the Velodrome was shocked as the guests moved ahead. A free kick was taken to Moussa Sissoko, whose explosive shot found the net.

Marseille eagerly pushed me on, but their offense simply wasn’t functioning. Lucho would again be the hosts’ main protagonist, smashing a terrific volley goalward only for substitute goalkeeper Olivier Blondel to block.

After strong home claims for a penalty were waved away early in the second half, Mathieu Valbuena superbly controlled a Gabriel Heinze cross, but his drive was met by the body of Blondel, who pulled off a stunning save.

Some heroic defending seemed to have seen off the worst of the home charge, but just as the storm seemed to have cleared, Brandao converted after Bakari Kone had pounced on a poor Blondel kick.

Andre-Pierre Gignac then had to block a Charles Kabore drive on the line as OM went for the killer blow.

If Gignac’s save on the line was heartbreaking for OM, the block that Blondel produced on Brandao with two minutes to go was worse. Having previously erred a little, the goalkeeper made amends with a truly superb save, which fully deserved the point his team won.

Robin Bairner, Goal.com

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