Brest, reduced to ten, nevertheless triumphed over Olympique Marseille once again in crisis (1-0), seizing 2nd place thanks to the failure of Monaco beaten by Toulouse (2- 1), Sunday during the 22nd day of Ligue 1. OM is sinking more than ever into the soft underbelly of the ranking (9th, 30 points), after this sixth match in a row without a victory in the championship.
At the Francis-Le Blé stadium, the scenario adds salt to the wounds of the White and Blue and the Brest supporters were able to sing for a long time “And where are the Marseillais?”. Because if their team had to play the last half hour with ten men after the exclusion of Steve Mounié, Pierre Lees Melou still managed to score at the very end of the match.
The Marseillais, lacking inspiration, failed to destabilize the Finisterians block, who took 2nd place (40 points). Against all expectations at the start of the season. Winner in Nantes on Saturday (2-0), Paris SG (53 points) can rest easy: after the defeat of Nice (2nd, 39 points) on Friday against Lyon (1-0), another pursuer, Monaco fell.
The Rocher club, which fell to 5th place with 38 points, was unable to capitalize on its great victory against the Niçois last week, against TFC, 15th in the ranking before the meeting and 13th after. The Monegasques can blame themselves. Firstly their center forward Folarin Balogun, still clumsy this season (5 goals, 5 assists in all competitions). The American immediately missed a deep face-to-face with Toulouse goalkeeper Guillaume Restes. In the second half, he wasted another opportunity from inside the area on a delivery from Thilo Kehrer.
Montpellier is reassured
In the meantime, Toulouse struck twice, first by opening the scoring with a free kick from captain Vincent Sierro who saw that Philipp Köhn had shifted a little too far to one side in his cage (41st). Then by defender Logan Costa who took a corner, within a Monegasque defense at bay (70th). The equalization of the nugget Maghnes Akliouche (48) will remain anecdotal.
If Monaco was the summer hit, Rennes is the winter hit. The Bretons scored a 6th victory in a row by dominating bottom-placed Clermont (3-1), thanks to a double from their midfielder Martin Terrier, in great shape, and a goal from Warmed Omari. Coach Julien Stéphan, who replaced Bruno Genesio in November, continues the recovery of the club, now 7th (34 points) close to the European places (from 6th place).
Lorient is also continuing to make a good comeback. The Merlus beat Strasbourg at Meinau at the start of the afternoon (3-1), notably with a double from their rookie Mohamed Bamba. They are 15th (22 pts) and leave the play-off place, occupied by Nantes.
For its part, Lens slowed down after three victories in a row in L1, conceding a 1-1 draw on the Reims pitch. By Wesley Saïd, Franck Haise’s men immediately came back to score after Oumar Diakhité’s goal at the end of the first period. But they were unable to tilt the match in their favor during a very balanced second half.
The Sang et Or remain 6th, with 36 points. Reims doubles Marseille by picking up a 31st point. For its part, Montpellier crushed Metz (3-0), leaving the Lorraines (17 points) head to head with Clermont (16 points) at the bottom of the ranking.