Angers chained an 11th game without a win at home against Nice (1-1) on Sunday, breaking a 30-year-old club record.
While Olympique de Marseille, held in check by Montpellier on Friday (1-1), lost their second place in the championship to Lens, victorious on the lawn of Rennes on Saturday (1-0), the 29th day of the League 1 continued on Sunday, April 2, with five games on the program at the start of the afternoon. Losc narrowly escaped against Lorient (3-1), while Reims easily defeated Nantes at La Beaujoire (3-0). Nice was hung on the lawn of the Angevin red lantern (1-1), while Brest and Clermont carried out a good operation in the fight for maintenance by winning respectively against Toulouse (3-1) and Ajaccio (2 -1). Later in the afternoon, Monaco managed to overthrow Strasbourg at Louis-II (4-3).
La perf’: the strength of Monegasque character
With only one victory at Louis-II in its last 4 games against Strasbourg (1 draw, 2 losses), ASM needed to raise the bar. The course of the game could have left room for doubt in Monegasque heads. It has not happened. After opening the scoring (20th), Philippe Clement’s men were initially overthrown by the Alsatian team, conceding two goals in quick succession (32nd and 41st).
But Alexander Zverev and the other supporters present in Monaco were lucky enough to witness great collective and mental strength. Upon returning from the locker room, ASM showed a totally different face, allowing teammates to Wissam Ben Yedder to win and thus maintain the hope of qualification for the Champions League (4-3).
The record: Angers no longer wins at home
The “good” draw won against Nice will not make us forget the setbacks of a season. To the chagrin of Angers supporters, the 2022-2023 edition of the SCO will go down in the annals of the club’s history. After establishing the worst consecutive losing streak in Ligue 1 (13), Angers have once again broken a sad 30-year-old record.
The formation of Maine-et-Loire, without a win during his last 11 receptions in the elite (2 draws, 9 defeats), thus beat the worst series in the history of the club on his lands in the same season (10 in December 1993-May 1994).
The image: Edon Zhegrova ignites Pierre-Mauroy
The Lille supporters were not mistaken in chanting his name at the end of the meeting. Dominating head and shoulders, Losc still had to wait for the 82nd minute and the entry into play of Edon Zhegrova to secure victory against Lorient (3-1). The Kosovar, author of a double in the space of two minutes (89th and 90 + 1st), allowed Lille to stay in the race for Europe by beating Rennes and maintaining pressure on Monaco.
His face betrayed as much joy as relief. After a contrasting season, marked by a convincing lack of efficiency, Edon Zhegrova was able to take advantage of Lille’s songs to regain a confidence that seemed to have been lost.
The tile: Nantes running out of ideas
Just three days before their Coupe de France semi-final against Olympique Lyonnais, FC Nantes showed a pale face at La Beaujoire, in front of exasperated supporters, leaving the stadium before the final whistle. Corrected by Reims (0-3), the Canaries have not won in Ligue 1 since February 12, with two points taken out of the eighteen possible.
Of the last five editions of Ligue 1 in which Nantes have only scored 30 points after 29 days, the Canaries have only finished above 17th place once, 21 years ago (2001/2002) . After this new disappointment, the men of Antoine Kombouaré have only four points ahead of the first relegated, Auxerre (17th). The pressure intensifies on the Loire-Atlantique club.