Matchday 24 - Lyon decide they don’t like losing, finally do something about it

By: Sam | February 11th, 2007

Matchday 24 in Ligue 1 set itself apart from other weekends this season, that being because of the 31 goals scored, Lyon snapping their pesky winless streak, some guy named Steve Savidan scoring four goals and an own goal in injury time to win the game for the opposition.

As the LFP’s official website cleverly pointed out, the matchup featuring Lyon and Lorient was one of paradox, as Lyon, top of the table by a good margin, was at the bottom of the table in the last five games. Wouldn’t you know it, les Merlus from Lorient were atop it. No matter, however, as Fred notched a spectacular goal in the early going (the video is below). That would prove to be enough, but just barely, as Lorient showed they were not going down without a fight, arguably dominating the game and having a goal disallowed. Nevertheless, that’s good news for Lyon, who are breathing again and will have a little more confidence heading into the upcoming UEFA Champions League matches against AS Roma.

As I talked about yesterday, super swell special stupendous striker Steve Savidan was johnny on the spot to save a Nantes-Valenciennes match that would have quite the bore if it weren’t for him. Grazing Doumeng’s free-kick for his first on eighteen minutes, he added three in the space of thirty minutes in the second half. In between, he unselfishly assisted on his team’s fourth, which was scored by Dufresne. Nantes got two back late through Keserü and Guillon, but that mattered exactly zero on the Sam mattering scale. Savidan stole the show, and that’s that. 5-2, final score.

Now hear this: Paris Saint-Germain Football Club have won! Yes! At last, after searching for a win since Matchday 11, the Parisians finally found three points over AS Monaco, in a game you could call exciting. Amara Diané put PSG ahead after five minutes after Rothen’s pass, and supplied the second half an hour later with the help of ASM’s keeper Flavio Roma, who scored in his own net to see Paris in front by two at the break. Back from the locker room, Piquionne continued his stellar play with his new club and cut the lead in half following a corner kick early in the second frame. The same man could’ve tied the score, but couldn’t fool Landreau on a penalty with twenty-five minutes to play. Gallardo and Rodriguez were there to make Piquionne feel bad about himself, scoring five minutes apart in the last ten minutes to soup up the lead to 4-1. Jan Köller scored the last one a minute later, but the match ended 4-2 for Paris, who are sixteenth, four points behind their newest victims.

Bordeaux and Marseille, meeting in wine country for another match in the sardine can that is the top ten, wouldn’t have been surprised to see Noah and his ark appear on the pitch, with all the water that was pouring down. The wetness proved to be a big factor, with both sides having trouble finishing what they had started. Bordeaux eventually made the best of it, with Faubert scoring twenty minutes from time after Taiwo’s clearing effort found its way back to him. Notching his third of the season thanks to OM’s poor defending. The table is so close, that only four points separate 12th place (Rennes) and fourth (Marseille).

Lille, visiting a strugglesome Toulouse side at the Stadium, knew a win would put them in temporary second place behind Lyon. Not much to report here, in a match that Toulouse dominated in the first half, and Lille dominated in the second. It was injury time in the second half that proved crucial. On Brian Bergougnoux’s decent strike, LOSC’s captain and stalwart Grégory Tafforeau bizzarely redirected the ball into his own net, thus giving the grateful toulousains the win. Lille is in third place, however, and Toulouse is not far behind, sitting in seventh in a ridiculously close table.

Lens, playing on Sunday against Sochaux, took full advantage of Lille’s faux pas to solidify their second place cushion. They were up 2-0 before the half hour mark thanks to goals by Hilton and Keita two minutes apart. Aruna Dindane potted the third just before the hour mark on a breakaway against Richert. Sochaux managed a goal on eighty-five minutes on a fine strike that went in off the post. Lens are now four points in front of Lille, and eleven behind the reawakened Lyon.

Other scores: Auxerre 1-1 Saint-Étienne; Le Mans 3-2 Sedan; Nice 3-0 Troyes; Rennes 1-1 Nancy