By SF
Published 25 minutes ago, Updated now
The joy of the Brestois, solid 3rd in Ligue 1. LOIC VENANCE / AFP
Three matches were on the multiplex program for the 18th day of Ligue 1 on Sunday. Brest, Toulouse and Clermont beat Montpellier, Metz and Nantes.
Brest, the surprise guest on the podium
Who would have imagined Stade Brestois on the Ligue 1 podium after more than half of the matches? Probably not even the main interested parties, who nevertheless put Montpellier under cover this Sunday (2-0). In Finistère, the MHSC never really believed in it, blown away by the enthusiasm of the locals (26 shots, 9 on target). Steve Mounié thought he had headed his team but his goal was disallowed for offside at the start of the action (22nd).
We had to wait for an inspiration from Mahdi Camara and the accuracy of Hugo Magnetti in the area to unlock the score (48th, 1-0). Mathias Pereira Lage (60th) and Jérémy Le Douaron (68th) were unable to kill the match straight away. We had to wait for added time and the rediscovered realism of Le Douaron, pure Brestois, to put an end to the suspense (90th + 2, 2-0). The Breton club is now one point ahead of Monaco, 4th, and one behind Nice, runner-up to PSG. Montpellier is stuck in the soft underbelly in 12th place.
Clermont revolts in Nantes
The Nantes residents had finished 2023 badly with three defeats in a row in the league. They didn’t start 2024 any better by losing to the bottom of the league, Clermont, at La Beaujoire (1-2). In a fast-paced match, Shamar Nicholson struck first, from six meters away, to reward Auvergne’s good start (30th, 0-1). Florent Mollet set the record straight after leaving the locker room (47th, 1-1), well served by Benie Traoré.
The Ivorian, for his first steps in Ligue 1, often set the Nantes game on fire. But he went from hot to cold after an uncontrolled gesture, a sole on Habib Keïta which logically earned him a red card (73rd). Nantes then exposed itself, until the punishment administered by Jim Allevinah (89th). Clermont’s audacity allowed Pascal Gastien’s players to snatch a third victory in 18 matches this season, and above all to leave the dunce’s cap to Lorient in the standings. Nantes, 13th, is only four points ahead of Clermont.
Metz sinks, Toulouse revives
Is Lazlo Bölöni’s seat ejectable? His Metz team conceded a fifth loss in a row in the league, at home against Toulouse who were in poor shape (0-1). Vincent Sierro quickly put the Violets in front with composure from the penalty spot (12th, 0-1). Stung, Metz responded by looking for the ghost, Georges Mikautadze, holder at the forefront. The Georgian proved, like his partners, powerless.
The exclusion of Christophe Hérelle, for a late tackle on Thijs Dallinga who was heading towards goal (72nd), seemed to sound the death knell for Metz’s hopes. Toulouse, however, trembled, again, after a header from Ismaël Traoré which hit the bar, before Mikautadze came up against Guillaume Restes at close range (78th). A final thrill before TFC manages the end of the match to get out of the red zone. Toulouse is 14th with one point ahead of Metz, 16th, who takes the virtual place of play-off for maintenance.
