Matchday 35 - All Eyes on Lens, Bordeaux, and Marseille

By: Sam | May 8th, 2007

So, back am I from my fantastic weekend, and I’ve got some juicy-ass stuff to report from everyone’s favourite league. Three games left for the lot, and the way it is right now, the three clubs mentioned above will be the ones grabbing spots two thru four, synonym of Europe (of course, fifth gets Intertoto, but is there a single living soul on this earth that cares?). Lens are in second with 56 points and a +12 goal average, and Bordeaux are level on points but have an inferior goal average of +7. Marseille are in fourth with 55 points and are equal to Lens with a +12 difference. Let’s take a look at how those fellers did to be where they are this week, with Matchday 36 to be played tomorrow.

Lens nudged themselves into second by nudging down a would-be contender, Toulouse, to a near-impossible Champions League mission at home. After having approximately a chance for every sane frenchman crying over Sarkozy’s win this week, the hosts finally cracked the code on eighty-four minutes when Dindane gingerly gave the defenders this n’ that, he dished off to Keita, who easily finished. This a few minutes after Nicolas Douchez produced a crazy save off of Dindane’s header. Five minutes later, Cousin slotted home a penalty to ice the cake and put Racing Club in good position to take second place.
Remaining games for Lens: Lyon (a), Nice (h), Troyes (a)

Bordeaux are gunning for a second straight second place finish, and they’ll have to do better than what they did this week against currently-fifth Rennes. A draw on the road to a decent team like the latter is not a bad result, but a boring game, in which Rennes scored a goal that was disallowed on a very iffy call. Nil-nil the final, and the Girondins have the toughest schedule of the “big 3″ for the last three games. Dun-dun-dun…
Remaining games for Bordeaux: Nantes (h), Le Mans (a), Toulouse (a)

Marseille, also gearing up for the final of the Coupe de France this weekend, were playing the derby princier against Monaco this week, on a real hot streak and a whole lotta confidence. Menez got the ball rolling for the Principality’s side on twelve minutes, beating OM’s confused offside trap and expertly beating Carrasso. Just before half-time, though, the lethal duo of Nasri and Ribéry drew up some magic and the pretty one served the ugly one, who equalized quite nicely. The winner for Marseille came in the 84th when Mamadou Niang buried his own penalty to seal the deal and put his side in fourth. With three points and a significant goal difference advantage over no. 5 Rennes, it will take quite something for the latter team to get back up, which is why I’m calling these three teams to make it. As for the Intertoto Cup, I’ll maybe slip in one sentence or two when the season’s over.
Remaining games for Marseille: Nancy (h), Saint-Étienne (a), Sedan (h)

Lyon, whom I’m pretty sure aren’t being relegated this year (I’ll have to check though) were visiting the the nation’s capital to play Paris Saint-Germain, who are basically safe of relegation by now. Édouard Cissé got the opener for PSG in the opening minutes of the second half, on a well-orchestrated counter attack that he finished with a volley that left Coupet looking a bit weird. Not letting up, Lyon equalized in stoppage time on a rare Juninho header. Read about this in cavity search-like inquisivity on Inara’s Lyon Offside.

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