The afternoon multiplex in Ligue 1 was marked by seven red cards in four matches.
Unrecognizable, Nice sank into doubt by falling to nine against eleven on Sunday in Clermont (1-0), during a 3rd day of Ligue 1 marked by the number of goals scored, but above all the number of red cards received : nine in eight matches!
Nice loses foot before a crucial week
It’s not getting better for Nice: still without a win this season, unable to dominate Maccabi Tel-Aviv on Thursday in the first leg of the Europa League Conference (1-0), the “Gym” sank and lost its nerves in Clermont. All it took was a goal from the former Marseillais Saîf-Eddine Khaoui (5th) to thwart the big engine from Nice, who never managed to come back up the slope.
After three days, the Niçois have only two points in L1 before an already decisive week: crucial return match against Maccabi on Thursday at the Allianz Riviera, then reception of OM on Sunday in L1. Suffice to say that the placid coach Lucien Favre will have to remobilize his players.
Everything would have been different if striker Amine Gouiri, who has not scored for ages, had not found the Clermont post (3rd), or if Jordan Lotomba had not stumbled on goalkeeper Mory Diaw (26th) .
But Nice did not manage to come back to the score and even finished at nine after the exclusion of Mario Lemina (80th) then Jean-Clair Todibo for a movement of mood (82nd)… Either two important players who will miss on call next weekend against Marseille.
Rain of goals in Toulouse, reds in Montpellier
Toulouse (6th) and Lorient (9th) put on a show at the Stadium on Sunday, taking the advantage in turn before leaving in a logical and thrilling 2-2 draw. From the first minute, Armand Laurienté opened the scoring with a splendid free kick, then Ratao equalized opportunistically (30th) for Toulouse, before Violets goalkeeper Maxime Dupé stopped a penalty kick from Terem Moffi (41st).
The “Téfécé” took the advantage with a second goal signed Thijs Dallinga (63rd), before the Lorient equalizer signed Ibrahima Koné on penalty (79th). In Montpellier (12th), no less than four red cards were handed out in turn, in a match ultimately won 2-1 by Auxerre (10th), the first victory for the Burgundians since their return to the top flight this season. .
While Montpellier midfielders Khalil Fayad (46th) and Téji Savanier (90th+4) and Auxerre strikers Mbaye Niang (51st), Nuno Da Costa (88th) were sent back to the locker room earlier than expected, Da Costa (70th) and Mathias Autret on penalty (75th) offered victory to Auxerre.
Reims breathes, Brest suffocates Angers
After two heavy defeats and eight goals conceded, Reims raises its head a little: after a long frustrating match, the Reims snatched a 1-1 draw in Strasbourg and abandoned the red lantern place in Troyes. Japanese rookie Junya Ito delivered a promising match but between the parades of Strasbourg goalkeeper Mats Selz and the opening goal for Racing signed Alexander Djiku (45th + 2), Stade de Reims struggled for a long time until the equalizer signed Folarin Balogun (81st).
Startle also in Brest, which pressed Angers: after the good point obtained last weekend against Marseille (1-1), the Brestois confirmed by going to tame the Angevins 3-1 on a double from Jérémy Le Douaron (10th, 38th) and a goal from Achraf Dari (65th). The SCO, weighed down by the severe exclusion of Halid Sabanovic (35th), reduced the score by Sofiane Boufal (70th) but remains in search of a first victory this season.