It was a decent season for the Yanks of France with Folarin Balogun and Monaco securing a Champions League spot, while Emmanuel Sabbi and Le Havre retain their Ligue 1 status for another year.
Monaco 4 – 0 Nantes
Folarin Balogun was in the starting line-up for Monaco when they hosted Nantes, who managed to avoid relegation. The boys from the south of France got the game going almost from the start. Well at the six minute mark anyway. Wissam Ben Yedder scored for the 16th time. Three minutes later, defender Thilo Kehrer scored his first goal of the season on the very last day.
A Mohamed Camara conversion from the penalty spot in the 24th minute put the game to bed and ended the first half scoring. The second half saw the last goal of the game on the hour mark when 19-year-old Eliesse Ben Seghir got his name on the score sheet.
Balogun’s season paled in comparison to his last campaign when he scored 21 times for Stade de Reims. With Monaco he only found the back of the net on seven occasions, though did start 19 times in 29 appearances over the 34 game season. Still, the season was successful enough that the 22-year-old will be taking part in the UEFA Champions League next season. He’ll also be looking to represent the USA this summer in the Copa America.
Le Havre 1 – 2 Marseille
Having already secured their Ligue 1 survival after their victory over Strasbourg earlier this month, the narrow loss to Marseille on Sunday afternoon had no real meaning for Le Club Doyen. Emmanuel Sabbi, came off the bench in the 67th minute.
The American could consider his first season in France with newly promoted Le Havre a success, netting on five occasions while making 30 appearances, 18 times in the starting line-up and helping the team in avoiding an immediate return to Ligue 2.
The hosts held their own in the first half but in the 64th minute former Arsenal, and Barcelona front man Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang opened the scoring, netting for the 17th time this season. Amir Murillo doubled the lead not long afterwards but Le Havre fought back and deep in stoppage time won a penalty that Mohamed Bayo converted.
It was a rough first year in Ligue 1 but survival was secured, though barely. Le Havre was just three points out of having to go into a relegation play-off game.
Having been capped once, Sabbi will hop to play some summer soccer with the USMNT.
