PSG could be their own worst enemy
Paris Saint-Germain lost for the first time this season, as they were beaten 2-1 by Strasbourg. It was PSG’s first defeat in 22 games this term and it was certainly a surprise that it came at the Stade de la Meinau.
Unai Emery opted to rest Edinson Cavani, with Kylian Mbappe given the central striker role. The Frenchman was a substitute in midweek, as Emery rotated his attacking trio and PSG struggled once again.
Joia Nuno Da Costa gave Strasbourg the lead inside the first quarter-of-an-hour, after he headed in Dimitri Lienard’s free-kick. Mbappe equalised just before half-time, but Stephane Bakhoken raced clear to give the home side the three points.
“We had a bit of luck, we have to acknowledge that,” said Strasbourg coach Thierry Laurey. “To beat such a team, all the stars have to align and you have to surpass your limits.”
Emery added: “We deserved to win, but that's football. It's difficult to keep winning games, to win all the time.”
Marseille stumble at Montpellier
Marseille lacked the intensity and creativity to close the gap further on PSG, although Rudi Garcia’s side certainly benefitted from the decisions made by the officials. Montpellier deserve plenty of credit after the 1-1 draw, whilst they have the best defence in the league and had already held the other members of the top four.
The home team scored the opening goal, when Giovanni Sio’s acrobatic kick bounced in-front of Steve Mandanda, although the Marseille shot-stopper should really have done better. Referee Frank Schneider judged that Montpellier centre-back Hilton had deliberately handled the ball, as Florian Thauvin scored the resulting penalty on the stroke of half-time.
Souleymane Camara thought he had given Montpellier the win, when he headed in a free-kick. However, Hilton’s attempt to get on the end of that cross meant he was interfering with play and affected Mandanda’s response.
The Marseille players remonstrated with the referee and his linesman, whilst Camara and teammates continued their celebrations. The judgement was overturned, much to the displeasure of Montpellier manager Michel Der Zakarian.
Monaco returns to winning ways
A goal from Radamel Falcao after only two minutes gave Monaco the win over Angers. Leonardo Jardim’s men had lost three matches in a row, whereas they had just four defeats in the three months prior.
It was Falcao’s first goal for six weeks, but despite this he still has 14 in the league for the campaign. The Colombian is still only three goals behind Cavani in the scorer’s chart and it’s his strikes that invariably give Monaco the confidence.
“We made some mistakes, but our attitude was good. The conclusion is clear: it's simply a win without a great performance,” admitted Jardim.
Lille better off without Bielsa
Nicolas Pepe scored the only goal of the game, as Lille won for their second match in succession. The 1-0 win over Toulouse followed the shock victory over Lyon in midweek.
They now have four wins in their last six games in Ligue 1, having only recorded one in the 10 matches before. The players appeared to have been finally adapting to Marcelo Bielsa’s philosophy on the pitch, but perhaps they and others at the club weren’t so accepting of his mannerisms.
“You saw a united team that went looking for the three points with energy and determination. That proves that the squad, despite its young age, is capable of digging in and committing themselves fully to the project,” said Interim Coach Fernando Da Cruz.
Lyon back on track
Lyon showed that the defeat to Lille on Wednesday was just a temporary blip, as they beat Caen 2-1. Maxwel Cornet scored his second goal of the season and Mariano grabbed the other, with the reformed Memphis Depay providing both the assists.
Ivan Santini netted a late consolation for the home side, but Lyon held on. They have now won nine out of their last 11 games in all competitions.
Honourable mentions
Nice won their second consecutive match, as they beat Metz 3-1. Alassane Plea, Mario Balotelli and Allan Saint-Maximin scored the goals to relieve the pressure on boss Lucien Favre, as it’s only the second time this season that they have managed victories in back-to-back games in the league.
