Ligue 1: Monaco takes the lead, Nice still strong… What to remember from Saturday’s two matches

2023-10-08 01:07:50

Two Ligue 1 matches took place this Saturday. In the afternoon, Nice soberly won against Metz (1-0) while Monaco had a great evening on the Reims pitch (3-1). Here are the facts to remember from these meetings.

The right operation: Monaco dominates Reims and takes the lead

Clinical. This is the term that best describes the performance of a ruthless Monaco team in Reims (3-1). Will Still’s men nevertheless offered their audience a first period of great intensity. Multiplying the runs, the Reims midfielder initially gained the upper hand over the Monegasque midfield. It was Teddy Teuma who was behind the most dangerous action. The Maltese midfielder served Mohamed Daramy, who served Keito Nakamura. But the Japanese came up against Philipp Köhn (11th). Despite its attacking trio available between the opposing lines, Reims was unable to find the solution in the first period.

Opposite, one clear opportunity was enough for the Monegasques to take the advantage. An incursion from Krépin Diatta on the right side allowed Ismail Jakobs to calmly take over the center from the Senegalese (1-0, 42nd).

Upon returning from the locker room, the Rocher team only needed three minutes to end the proceedings. A cross strike from Folarin Balogun (2-0, 46th) and a header from Wissam Ben Yedder (3-0, 49th) plunged Reims underwater. The French striker scored his 150th goal in Ligue 1. Not resigned, however, the Rémois remained hopeful after the penalty converted by Teuma (3-1, 58th). The fault lies in a poorly controlled intervention by Chrislain Matsima on Marshall Munetsi.

Wissam Ben Yedder signed up for 150 years but in Ligue 1 (François Nascimbeni). François Nascimbeni / AFP

Nice waterproof against Metz

The Niçois did not reward their supporters with a spectacular match, but the main thing is elsewhere. This Saturday, in Metz, Francesco Farioli’s men scored an important victory (1-0) which provisionally guarantees them first place in Ligue 1. Shortly before the quarter of an hour of play, Hicham Boudaoui conveniently placed himself in second post to convert Melvin Bard’s center (1-0, 14th).

Still undefeated (four wins and four draws), the Gym once again showed a defensive foundation which numbed the Metz offensives. The goalkeeper Marcin Bulka was calm in his interventions (11th, 28th, 62nd, 90th + 4) while Jean-Clair Todibo delivered a serene performance punctuated by 188 balls touched. With five matches without conceding a goal, the Aiglons will approach the reception of Marseille with more certainty than the Phocéens, on October 21.