Paris Saint-Germain beat Lorient, extend win streak to eight games
Hervin Ongenda scored his first league goal for PSG as the Ligue 1 holders recorded an eighth straight league win, beating Lorient 2-1.
Paris Saint-Germain tightened its grip at the top of Ligue 1 with a comfortable 2-1 win at Lorient on Saturday, as its eighth consecutive league victory was sealed by two goals in the first half. Hervin Ongenda's first league goal for the club put the defending champions ahead in the 26th minute despite Lorient having made a strong start, the 20-year-old tapping in Gregory van der Wiel's superb cross.
Blaise Matuidi doubled the lead six minutes later, converting a low cross from Zlatan Ibrahimovic, and the result â PSG's fifth straight win at Stade du Moustoir â was never in doubt from that point. Benjamin Moukandjo grabbed one back for Lorient in the 80th minute, heading in a precise cross from Romain Philippoteaux, but the home side could not find an equalizer.
Ibrahimovic was making his 100th Ligue 1 appearance but was unable to add to his 84 goals for PSG, having scored in the club's previous six league matches. Coach Laurent Blanc was without a host of key players, including Angel di Maria, Marco Verratti, Ezequiel Lavezzi, David Luiz and Javier Pastore, with youth team products Ongenda and Presnel Kimpembe handed places in the side.
Following an emotional rendition of La Marseillaise and a period of silence following the Paris terror attacks, Lorient had the first chance on five minutes but Moukandjo's touch let him down in front of goal. Ligue 1 leader PSG, which was wearing special shirts to commemorate those who lost their lives in the French capital last week, was struggling to assert itself on the game and goalkeeper Kevin Trapp had to save twice in two minutes, from Raphael Guerreiro and then from Vincent Le Goff.
But the defending champions took the lead 25 minutes in with their first meaningful attack when Van der Wiel floated a sumptuous cross to Ongenda, who beat the offside trap to stab a volley through Benjamin Lecomte's legs to net his first league goal for PSG. Just six minutes later it was 2-0 as PSG took control. Ongenda linked up with Ibrahimovic and the Sweden international picked out Matuidi's run for a simple finish from 6 yards.
PSG continued to push for goals after the break and almost added a third five minutes into the second half, but Lecomte kept out Lorient defender Lamine Gassama's header to prevent an own goal. Both teams were struggling for balance on Lorient's artificial pitch, with many players slipping because of the wet conditions.
PSG was looking comfortable but Lorient gave itself hope by pulling a goal back, Moukandjo powering in a header from close range after good work by substitute Philippoteaux. Ibrahamovic almost found the net with five minutes to go but his drive was kept out by Lecomte.
Monaco 1, Nantes 0
Monaco bounced back from a disappointing defeat at Bordeaux last time out with a slender 1-0 win against Nantes to move up to fifth in Ligue 1.
During a largely uneventful first half it was Monaco's Bernardo Silva who went closest to opening the scoring but Remy Riou came out on top in the visitors' goal after some great interplay between Fabio Coentrao and Mario Pasalic.
Then, just as half-time loomed, the principality side took the lead when Pasalic showed off his aerial prowess, thumping a header beyond Riou from Thomas Toure's delivery.
The visitors offered a response in the second half but a lack of cutting edge proved to be their downfall as Yacine Bammou, Jules Iloki and Emiliano Sala all wasted decent opportunities to level the game.
Guingamp 2, Toulouse 0
Guingamp put an end to a four-game winless streak in Ligue 1 with a confident 2-0 victory over 10-man Toulouse.
The hosts were gifted the perfect opportunity to take the lead just before the interval when Yann Bodiger brought down Marcus Coco inside the area but Jimmy Briand saw his spot-kick well saved by Ali Ahamada.
Thankfully for Briand, though, Guingamp managed to break the deadlock soon after the restart when Sloan Privat rose highest from Yannis Salibur's corner to head home.
And the points were all but wrapped up with 20 minutes left to play when Salibur sent a wonderful 25-yard free-kick into the bottom corner before Jean-Armel Kana-Biyik was given his marching orders for second-bottom Toulouse following a clash with Coco.
Troyes 1, Lille 1
Troyes' winless Ligue 1 season continued despite coming from behind to claim a 1-1 draw with Lille, a result which leaves them rooted to the foot of the table.
Yassine Benzia grabbed his first goal of the season for the visitors in the eighth minute, pouncing at the back post after Sebastian Corchia's cross was flicked into his path.
Undeterred, the hosts hit back to end a run of five successive league defeats when Corentin Jean levelled after latching onto a decent Jonathan Martins-Pereira cross.
And Troyes almost secured their first win this season when Florian Camus was left with an open goal following Jean's saved effort but Renato Civelli got back to hack off the line.
Montpellier 3, Reims 1
Montpellier continued their resurgence in Ligue 1 with a 3-1 win against Reims, stretching their recent unbeaten run to five games.
It was the visitors who took the lead after 12 minutes when Diego's superb delivery picked out Anthony Weber to beat Laurent Pionnier with a magnificent header.
The hosts wasted little time in levelling matters, though, when Mustapha Yatabare was on hand to head home Ryad Boudebouz's corner nine minutes later.
And Montpellier completed the turnaround when some lax defending allowed Souleymane Camara to take full advantage of a one-on-one chance.
Bryan Dabo made it 3-1 after 84 minutes, heading Boudebouz's corner beyond Kossi Agassa.
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