Efficient Lyon make light work of Le Havre as PSG keep pressure at the top: D1 Arkema Week 8 Round Up
A narrow 1-0 win over Le Havre was all reigning champions Olympique Lyonnais needed to reclaim top spot from Paris Saint-Germain on Sunday.
A solitary strike from American international Lindsey Horan in the 49th minute was enough for Lyon to bag their seventh full set of points. In scoring the goal, Horan took her season’s tally to four.
The introduction of striker Eugénie Le Sommer in place of midfielder Delphine Cascarino in 62ndminute helped the hosts fend off pressure from the visitors, who fought hard to preserve their 1-0 lead for the greater part of the second-half.
Elsewhere, former champions PSG got the better of FC Girondins de Bordeaux 3-0 to temporarily occupy the top of the log on Sunday afternoon.
Leading goal-scorer Kadidiatou Diani found the breakthrough in first half stoppage time courtesy of an assist from former Manchester United midfielder Jackie Groenen to take her goal tally to seven in the domestic campaign.
Striker Sandy Baltimore doubled the advantage in the 58th minute when she smashed home a pass from fellow attacker Ramona Bachmann. Midfielder Oriane Jean-François scored her first goal of the season in the 82nd minute off an assist from the impressive Baltimore, who was involved in two of the three goals scored by Paris SG.
The home side failed to mount any serious response as they suffered their third defeat of the campaign.
The victory saw the Paris based side extend their unbeaten run to eight on the domestic front, a streak that has seen them bag 20 points from a possible 24.
Striker Clara Matéo starred for Paris FC as they clobbered En Avant Guingamp 3-0 in Saint-Brieuc on Saturday afternoon.
The striker was in excellent scoring form scoring three goals before the break to set the visitors up for a well-deserved victory.
The 24-year-old broke through as early as the 13th minute when she drilled home an inch-perfect pass from fellow striker Mathilde Bourdieu. She was to strike again in the 41st minute when she drove home a Margaux Le Mouël pass after a lengthy period on pressure. The match was put beyond the home side in the 43rd minute when Matéo completed her hat-trick courtesy of a Gaëtane Thiney assist.
The second-half was more about craft from the Paris based side as they looked to preserve their dominance.
The host failed to trouble the visitors and a string of changes which saw the introduction of Grace Kazadi for Marine Perea, Laurie Teinturier making way for Imane Touriss, Anissa Lahmari coming out for Wassilah Pacaud, Sally Julin coming on for Sana Daoudi and Marie-Charlotte Léger being subbed out for Nina Richard, all in the second-half, failed to breathe into Guingamp.
The win saw Paris FC keep hold of their number three spot on the log with 18 points as their nearest competitor, Montpellier, labored to a 2-2 draw.
Montpellier HSC blew a 2-1 first-half advantage as they drew 2-2 against ASJ Soyaux-Charente at Stade Bernard Gasset Terrain n°7 on Saturday afternoon.
The visitors found themselves 1-0 up in the 13th minute when attacking midfielder Laura Bourgoin converted from the spot.
Montpellier found the equalizer in the 19th minute when Léa Khelifi’s right-footed strike found its way past goalkeeper Lisa Schmitz after a well worked pass from Faustine Robert. Khelifi turned provider in the 24thminute when she assisted trusted goal-getter Nérilia Mondésir to drive home with her right-foot to end the first-half 2-1 in front.
The second-half kicked-off in frantic action as the home side looked to consolidate their lead and the visitors searched for an equalizer.
A host of changes from both sides saw the visitors introduce Stéphanie Gbogou for Fadimatou Kome and Binta Diakité for İpek Kaya as well as Maëlle Lakrar making way for experienced defender Luna Gevitz in the 46th minute.
Winger Jessy Roux’s right-footed strike from an Agathe Donnary assist leveled the score in the 84th minute to set up a frenzied finish to the game.
The draw saw Montpellier cement their fourth position.
FC Fleury 91 put five past Dijon in a six-goal thriller away at Complexe Sportif DFCO on Saturday.
Winger Jenna May Dear gave the hosts the lead in the 12th minute when she drilled home a right-footed shot from close range.
FC Fleury 91 responded quickly when striker Batcheba Louis drove home a Ewelina Kamczyk pass in the 18th minute. An own goal from skipper and centre-back Cecilie Sandvej in the 37th minute saw the visitors claim the lead for the first time in the game. Batcheba Louis struck again immediately after the second goal to cease the initiative. Attacking midfielder Léa Le Garrec added her name to the scoresheet when she drilled home a Marine Dafeur in the 43rdminute to finish the first half 4-1 in front.
Léa Le Garrec scored the second brace of the day for the visitors when her 89thminute right-footed strike put the match beyond the hosts.
The win saw FC Fleury move to fifth on the log.
There was not much to write home about when Stade de Reims squared-off with debutants Le Havre in a 0-0 draw at Stade Louis Blériot N°2 on Saturday.
An avalanche of yellow cards for Solene Champagnac, Eloïse Sévenne and Laurie Cance for the visitors and Monique Ngo Ngock and Sonia Ouchene for the hosts was all the match had as highlights in a drab first-half.
The second-half continued in the same tune as a glut of changes from both sides failed to inspire change.
Forward Melchie Dumornay earned a yellow card in the 90th minute to cap an uninspired match from both teams.
RESULTS (Saturday): Stade Reims 0 – 0 Rodez; Guingamp 0 – 3 Paris FC; Dijon 1 – 5 Fleury; Montpellier 2 – 2 Soyaux-Charente
RESULTS (Sunday): Bordeaux 0 – 3 PSG; Lyon 1 – 0 Le Havre