Matchday 34 - Damn, It’s Getting Hot In That Table

By: Sam | April 29th, 2007

First off, I apologize for not posting all this week, but quite simply, there was not much to report. You’d think there would be, what with the season reaching its intense stage, but I just didn’t think so. Whateva. Now, with Lyon out of the equation, all eyes were on two matches, which were conveniently played on Sunday. That would be Bordeaux hosting Lens, featuring the second and third placed teams, and Marseille and Sochaux, fifth and seventh. What happened? Well, children, I’ll just about tell you. The Champions League spots are far from decided.

Bordeaux, last year’s runner-up was taking on Racing Club de Lens, last year’s fourth-place finisher, at Chaban-Delmas on Sunday in possibly the most important match of the season so far. The only goal of the match was scored early on, by Bordeaux’s Jussiê, who came to the club from Lens exactly three months before the match. Controlling and striking a shot that skimmed the post before going in and leaving no chance to Charles Itandje. With the win, Bordeaux moves into first, two points in front of Lens, who are still third.

That could change, however, as Marseille continued their hot streak as they welcomed Sochaux to their home. The two clubs, who will face each other in the Coupe de France final two weeks from now, got off to quick starts, the visitors first as Leroy capitalized on a brutal miscommunication in the OM penalty area and slotted home the first goal. Marseille’s Cana equalized not ten minutes later on a perfect header from a Ribéry corner. We had to wait until twenty minutes left in the match to see another goal, this again from Ribéry’s work, where he adressed a cross to Djibril Cissé who only had to finish his teammate’s excellent work into the gaping net. Samir Nasri got the third minutes later, thanks to marvellous work from Ribéry again, who stymied a defender on the touchline and crossed for Cissé, who served Nasri the ball, with which he faked and finally shot past Richert to cap off a fantastic piece of work. Ribéry then got a fourth, where he went solo and nudged a shot that went in off Richert’s post. Julien Rodriguez scored an own goal in injury time, deflecting a Dagano shot over his own keeper, but that wouldn’t matter. Marseille, in fourth, are very much in the running to secure a UCL spot. Sochaux, on the other hand, are in seventh, with their hopes waning.

Lyon, still waiting to win and celebrate their sixth straight championship in style, were playing host to Le Mans, long since thrown out of the title race. Fred notched the first after a great Pelé save. Grafite got a quite comical equalizer, when Cris, Abidal, Coupet and Caçapa all missed odd clearing attempts. Not to be outdone by that setback, Malouda got the winner after a fine cross. More on this match from Inara at the Lyon Offside.

Paris Saint-Germain, who are having somewhat of a revival, however unimportant now, did a great favour to the above clubs on Saturday, that by beating serious contenders Toulouse on the road. Mansaré got the opener for TFC, but goals from Luyindula, Cissé and Rothen secured the win for PSG, who now occupy fifteenth place.

Other scores: Lorient 0-0 Saint-Étienne; Valenciennes 2-2 Monaco; Nice 0-0 Auxerre; Troyes 3-2 Sedan; Lille 0-1 Nancy; Nantes 0-2 Rennes