Matchday 13: Lyon, Meet Driver’s Seat

By: Sam | November 5th, 2007

Oh wait, you already know each other. For the past six years you say? Oh.

Indeed all eyes were on Lyon this week as they won their fifth straight in the league against a Valenciennes side who were not without a fighting spirit but ended up ruing their wasted chances. Celebrating the 20-year anniversary of the Bad Gones supporters group, Juninho decided to mark the occasion with a rare header that put Lyon in front just before half-time. And it was him again that created the second goal just before full-time, providing a great pass for Govou who chipped Penneteau ever so nicely. A good result for the guys who need all the help they can get going into their CL match against Stuttgart.

Four points behind them is Nancy (still toughin’ it!), who could have paved the way for Lyon by losing to Bordeaux, but instead won a hard-fought match thanks to a tricky headed finish by Malonga on thirty minutes. Ulrich Ramé had to pull a few rabbits out of his hat to keep a second goal out in the closing stages. Let’s remember Nancy have a game in hand- It’s not a cakewalk for the leaders just yet.

So sure, Nancy are good and in a surprising second place, but one-nil with a goal in the first half? No thanks. A match like Lens-Saint-Étienne though, those ones aren’t a dime a dozen. ASSE had their eyes on a top 5 spot after Gigliotti and Landrin scored a few minutes apart in the first half thanks to some generous Lens defending. Forgetting to keep their eyes on the pitch however, they slipped and let two Racing defenders, Coulibaly and Demont, score a pair of goals hardly two minutes apart to set Bollaert on fire. And if that weren’t enough, Aruna Dindane heaved his boys out of the relegation zone with an absolutely breathtaking goal, taking a deft touch over a pair of challengers and while spinning, tapped the ball over Janot and onto the crossbar and in. Pow! At the end of it all, Lens are 17th and Saint-Étienne are eighth. These games happen every once in a while, and they rock. ‘Nuff said.

Less impressive but equally important was Strasbourg-PSG, with the visitors hoping to get their second straight triumph after beating Montpellier in the league cup. Taking care of business early, they forced an own goal by Rodrigo before the match was ten minutes old and then Loris Arnaud (remember that name) coolly finished his way to his first Ligue 1 goal ever. Wason Renteria’s spectacular consolation was as close as Racing would come, but they’re still in a fantastic sixth place. PSG climbed up to the 14th.

And Marseille… Meh, I’ll just direct you to Magnusson’s recap.

Other scores: Caen 3-2 Le Mans; Toulouse 0-0 Metz; Auxerre 0-1 Lille; Nice 0-0 Sochaux; Rennes 0-1 Monaco