Saved in extremis last season, Nîmes got off to a good start, easily disposing of Brest at Les Costières (4-0). Under a great heat, more than 33 degrees at the kickoff, the Crocos dominated this meeting under the impulse in particular of the left side Birger Meling (25 years). Arrived this summer from Rosenborg, the Norwegian, who signed three years, distinguished himself with an assist and a goal. Just after the post found by Landre on a header (7th), the Scandinavian defender delivered a very good center for Kevin Denkey. Already scorer last season against Brest, the Nîmes striker placed a recovery under the bar (1-0, 8th).
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It was also under the bar, but at an even more closed angle, that Meling doubled the bet. After a superb action with Romain Philippoteaux, the defender struck without asking any questions (2-0, 31st). Rather used to goals against his side (two since 2019), he scored for the first time since May 22, 2019 in the Norwegian Cup. In the second half, Philippoteaux, well served by Denkey, gave greater scope to the score by opening his right foot after a hook (3-0, 69th).
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Before Moussa Koné, with a cross strike (4-0, 84th), completes Brestois reduced to ten after the expulsion of Chardonnet (77th), guilty of an ugly sole. Nîmes Olympique is first in Ligue 1 after this very clear victory.
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Dominators in the first period, the Lorient, who very quickly lost Stéphane Diarra to injury (11th), found themselves led a little against the course of the game by more realistic Strasbourg. On a long ball from Kenny Lala, the great Ludovic Ajorque did what he can do, controlling his chest, before serving in the race Medhi Chahiri at his height. The midfielder from National (Dunkirk and Red Star) scored his first goal in Ligue 1 (1-0, 30th).
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But the promoted rebelled after half-time. Author of 15 goals last season in L2, Yoane Wissa equalized with a header at the far post, after a ball lost by … Chahiri, happy in the first period, unhappy in the second (1-1, 51st). Then the most expensive recruit in the history of the Merlus struck. Coming from Clermont for 8.5 M € (+2 M € bonus), Adrian Grbic (24) obtained a penalty which he transformed himself (2-1, 60th) after a foul by Stefan Mitrovic.
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The Austrian’s first Ligue 1 goal gave a precious victory to the promoted Lorient, reinforced by a third goal from Pierre-Yves Hamel, pushing a ball into the empty goal of Racing three minutes from the end (3-1, 87th ). A nice return to Ligue 1 after three years of absence.
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