Every Yank in France got some playing time in Ligue 1 over the weekend before heading into the international break.
Lyon 1 – 2 Toulouse
When second place Olympique Lyonnaise hosted Toulouse, a game that featured an American on each team, the home fans were probably not expecting to go into the international break with a loss, but that is exactly what happened at the Groupama Stadium. Mark McKenzie started at the right back position for the Violets, while Tanner Tessmann was subbed off in stoppage time for the Olympians. Toulouse were looking for their first away win while Lyon was on a four-game winning streak in all competitions.
Belgian youngster Malick Fofana was played forward early in the game but his shot from just inside the box went wide of the near post. That was not the case however in the 24th minute when Lyon stole the ball in front of their own box and several passes later Martin Satriano sent in the perfect cross for Fofana to blast past the keeper.
Four minutes after the re-start Toulouse gifted the ball to Lyon in the final third and Dayann Methalie would have scored if it wasn’t for McKenzie sorting out the danger. The visitors looked the most likely to score and after Ainsley Maitland-Niles lost the ball in the middle of the park, Yann Gboho picked out his Brazilian teammate Emersonn, who saw his shot deflected, putting it over the Lyon keeper for the equalizer.
Six minutes into stoppage time the visitors won a corner and when it was sent into the box, Emersonn jumped the highest and nodded it home for his second and the game winner. Lyon had gone 17 games unbeaten against Toulouse. That run ended at the final whistle.
Next up for Lyon will be a visit from Strasbourg, while Toulouse hosts Metz.
Metz 0 – 3 Marseille
Tim Weah started a right back for Marseille when they took on Metz on the road on Saturday afternoon. The Juventus loanee played for 80 minutes in this game that Marseille dominated from start to finish. The goals, however, didn’t come until the second half and from three different Olympians.
Just a few minutes into the game, Angel Gomes was sent in the perfect cross from the right flank, but the former Manchester United youth made a mess of it and blasted wide. Mason Greenwood, also ex-United, had a nice run and a great chance but the save was made by the near post.
Brazilian Igor Paixao struck first in the second half, in the 51st minute after a pass from Robinio Vaz from a short distance. Paixao’s shot inside the box took a slight deflection to wrong-foot the keeper who watched the ball sail into the back of his net.
Twenty minutes later on-loan Brighton man, Matt O’Riley scored from the top of the box with a rifle shot that almost put a whole in the net. This was the Dane’s first goal for his French club. And it was all over when Amine Gouiri came off the bench to score his first of the season.
The Marseille win kept Metz winless thus far and also moves them just a point behind PSG, who could only manage to collect a point against Lille. Up next will be Le Havre, who have only managed to collect six points this season.
Monaco 2 – 2 Nice
Folarin Balogun came off the bench in the second half as Monaco had to come from a two-goal deficit in order to salvage a point against 12th place Nice. It was truly a game of penalties with three of the four strikes coming from the spot in the Stade Louis II.
After 15 minutes Antoine Mendy had a few seconds to celebrate his headed goal, that was until he saw the offside flag go up and heard the referee’s whistle. But another 15 minutes later when Monaco was having trouble clearing the ball out of their area, the ball fell to Sofiane Diop inside the top left side of the 18-yard box. The Moroccan fired a curling shot goal-wards and somehow it evaded everyone, including the diving Monaco keeper for the opening goal as it settled just inside the far post.
Ali Abdi didn’t learn from his first yellow card 10 minutes earlier, because when Danish striker
Mika Biereth was on the ground after tangling with another player for the ball, the Tunisian defender casually strolled over to the fallen Monaco man and stepped on his stomach. In reality, it should have been a straight red card.
The first goal from the spot came because of a handball in the box. Diop did the honors, taking a few steps and as the keeper jumped left, he shot right. Monaco did however manage to get a goal back just before the half-time whistle when VAR confirmed that Mendy had committed a handball offense in the crowded box when a corner kick was delivered. Ansu Fati struck it and although the keeper got a hand on it, it still ended up in the back of the net.
Balogun came on the start the second half and soon afterwards was bearing down on goal, one on one with the keeper; this was until Canadian defender Moise Bombito got behind him and brought the American down, earning a yellow card and giving Monaco their second penalty kick. Fati, on loan from Barcelona, took the kick again, put it roughly in the same place and again only just got it past the keeper.
Monaco will head to Angers after the break.
