Matchday 25 - PSG wake up, OM take their place on the crap seat

By: Sam | February 20th, 2007

Lyon impressively came from behind to win at Lille, Paris spanked Nancy 3-0 away from home, and Barthez made his big fat return to Marseille, and had a great game to hand OM their fourth straight game without a win.

Paris climbed to fifteenth place after their impressive win over Nancy, highlighted by Pierre-Alain Frau’s brilliant strike late in the match. In the early going, the story was PSG’s backstop Mickaël Landreau, who did well to keep the hosts off the sheet. The first goal came only twenty minutes from time, when Pauleta popped in his umpteenth goal for PSG on a rebound. Frau’s goal came next, and the same Frau presented Gallardo with the third and final in injury time. Paris, who have won three straight including their triumph in the UEFA Cup, definitely look more alive under Paul Le Guen.

This one team in France named Olympique Lyonnais, you may have heard of them, had the chance to play their fellow Champions Leagueateer before the both of them turned their minds to the European ties at hand. Young gun Audel drew first blood for the Dogues thanks to deplorable defending from the leaders of the pack. Waiting until the 83rd minute to react, react Lyon did. Fred, ever the man of the hour, pasted a free kick from 30 yards out to put the teams level. Five minutes after the equalizer, Toulalan’s free kick found Squillaci’s head, who to Sylva’s chagrin, pathetically lobbed him to cap Lyon’s impressive win. Lille continues on their hunt for a UCL spot, and are in third place. As to Lyon’s position on the table, I’ll let you guess.

Marseille, who hadn’t won in three matches before hosting the struggling, 19th placed Nantes, under new management, looked like they were poised to spank their former star, some guy named Fabien Barthez. Well, wouldn’t you know it, Barthez had one of the best games in recent years. Looking at him deny Mamadou Niang time after time in the first half, Rodriguez finding his hands, one ball blasting off the crossbar, all in the first half, you’d think OM was cursed against Nantes. 0-0, the match ended, with a second half to forget for both teams. Marseille is now fifth, and Nantes still second-last.

Another match played late on Sunday was eagerly anticipated as well. Chances, chances, and more chances. Goals? Nope. Both keepers had sensational games, Roma pushing away a series of hard-to-get-to balls on the ground, and Sylva looking invincible. Monaco, still in fourteenth, is on the right track to get back in the mix of things. Lens, with a five point cushion in second place, is looking mighty fine.

Other scores: Saint-Étienne 1-3 Rennes; Lorient 0-1 Toulouse; Sedan 2-2 Auxerre; Sochaux 2-0 Le Mans; Troyes 1-0 Bordeaux; Valenciennes 0-1 Nice