Ligue 1: OM as a leaping dolphin, Strasbourg as an exciting outsider

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Twelve points ahead of OM, with eight days remaining, Paris SG regained their colors against Lorient (5-1) and turned the page on their sad month of March, when they left the Champions League and suffered two setbacks in championship, against Nice and Monaco.

The evening, marked by the “strike” encouragement from the ultras, was enlightened on the Parisian side by the incredible performance of Kylian Mbappé, double scorer (28^e67^e) and triple decisive passer for Neymar (12^e90^e) and Lionel Messi (73^e).

Two weeks from “classic” against OM, this is the first time that the three PSG stars have scored together in the same match.

For its part, Marseille had a good shot at Saint-Étienne, exploiting the draw from Nice and Rennes (1-1) on Saturday April 2. The Marseillais kept a cool head despite the postponement of the match, scheduled for Saturday but postponed due to snowfall, and a failed start to the meeting.

Denis Bouanga quickly scored (9^e), taking advantage of a hand fault by Pau Lopez. This did not prevent the visitors from chaining a third success in a row in L1 with penalties from Dimitri Payet (45^e+2) and Bamba Dieng (68^e), an own goal by Timothée Kolodziejczak (60^e) and directed by Amine Harit (73^e).

“Don’t Panic”

If Saint-Étienne, eighteenth in the play-off position, experiences a setback after three matches without defeat, the Greens will not “don’t panic”reacted coach Pascal Dupraz.

Its competitors for maintenance have also lost: the penultimate Metz remains at a good distance after its 2-1 defeat against Monaco while the 17^e Clermont, beaten 3-2 by Nantes, are just one point ahead, as is Lorient, who will host the Greens on the next day.

Undefeated in five matches, Troyes on the other hand gave itself some air by dominating Reims (1-0) in additional time thanks to Renaud Ripart. Brest played a bad trick on Montpellier, with a 2-1 victory at La Mosson.

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The joy of Ludovic Ajocque (left) after opening the scoring for Strasbourg when Lens received at La Meinau on April 3. Photo: AFP / VNA / CVN

Strasbourg, 15^e at the end of last season, this time plays the leading roles.

After their success against Lens, the Alsatians are fourth with 51 points, like Nice, but with a better goal difference. They are only two points behind Rennes, whom they will receive on April 20.

OL savior head

At La Meinau, the Strasbourg residents made the difference with a penalty from Ludovic Ajorque (67^e, 1-0), who had not scored for almost three months. The Reunionese got a second, but Jean-Louis Leca repelled Kevin Gameiro’s attempt (71^e).

With this second defeat in a month, Lens slips in the standings to a tenth place far from its European ambitions.

Nantes, Lille and Monaco are in front, but also Lyon who won late against Angers (3-2), at home, with a decisive goal from the young Brazilian Tetê in the 80^etwo minutes after his debut in the Lyon jersey!

“I asked him, before he came in, to set the fire. He was able to play that one-on-one on his second ball and scored a nice goal. Let’s hope it continues”commented Claudio Caçapa, assistant coach of OL.

The 22-year-old left-hander from Shakhtar Donetsk, who arrived on loan on Thursday, was able to be hired in accordance with the system put in place by Fifa and validated by UEFA allowing players from the Ukrainian championship, stopped by the war, to join freely in another club.

Tetê saved OL from further disappointment. Moussa Dembélé’s double had indeed been erased by Mathias Pereira Lage and Sofiane Bouffal, well helped by a defense that was too permeable. Against West Ham on Thursday in the Europa League, Lyon will have to do better.

AFP / VNA / CVN

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