Nantes win derby, David leads Lille to victory | OneFootball

Ludovic Blas scored the only goal of the game as FC Nantes won Sunday’s derby at home to FC Lorient. Earlier Jonathan David netted a brace as LOSC Lille beat RC Strasbourg Alsace to boost their European hopes.

FC Nantes 1-0 FC Lorient

THE MATCH

Nantes were fresh from securing a place in the Coupe de France quarter-finals in midweek as they aim to retain the trophy, but their clash with Lorient at the Stade de la Beaujoire also came just four days before the first leg of their Europa League tie against Juventus. They can’t afford to take their eye off the ball in the league, however, as they came into the weekend still too close to the relegation zone for comfort.

There were chances at either end but the breakthrough did not come until the 66th minute, when Blas stole possession back from Enzo Le Fée before picking his spot low into the corner from just outside the area, and with the aid of a slight deflection off Montassar Talbi.

That was to be the only goal of the game as Nantes made it back-to-back league wins for the first time this season. Lorient have now won just twice in 13 league outings and have slipped back to eighth in the table.

THE PLAYER: Ludovic Blas

The man who scored the winner in last season’s Coupe de France final is so important to Les Canaris. He netted here for the second consecutive league game and coach Antoine Kombouaré will need his number 10 on top form against Juventus.

THE STAT: 2

Nantes have conceded just two goals in eight league outings since the season restarted following the World Cup.

Elsewhere on Sunday, Lille moved up above Stade Rennais FC and into fifth with a 2-0 win over Strasbourg at the Stade Pierre-Mauroy as Jonathan David scored both goals in the first half. The Canadian’s first was a penalty awarded following a foul on Edon Zhegrova by Lucas Perrin, and he then followed in to get his second after Jonathan Bamba had been denied by Matz Sels.

Stade de Reims bounced back from their midweek Cup exit to hammer Champagne region rivals ESTAC Troyes 4-0 at the Stade Auguste-Delaune. Marshall Munetsi gave the hosts a 10th-minute lead, unmarked at the back post, and Myziane Maolida curled in a delightful second just before half-time. Folarin Balogun, Ligue 1’s leading scorer, made it 3-0 with his 15th of the campaign five minutes into the second half, and Jens Cajuste added a late fourth.

Montpellier Hérault SC claimed a welcome win in Michel Der Zakarian’s first game of his second spell in charge, defeating his former club Stade Brestois 29 3-0 at the Stade de la Mosson. An early Christophe Hérelle own goal put them ahead and the Brest defender then conceded a penalty which Téji Savanier converted to make it 2-0. Savanier hit the post soon after, but it was Elye Wahi who got the home side’s third goal early in the second half.

The division’s bottom two sides, Angers SCO and AJ Auxerre, drew 1-1 at the Stade Raymond-Kopa with a Rayan Raveloson own goal putting the hosts ahead in the second minute. Matthis Abline converted a penalty that he had won to equalise for Auxerre midway through the first half, but he then squandered the chance to secure the victory for his side when he missed another spot-kick in stoppage time at the end of the game, smashing his effort off the bar.

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