Valenciennes FC

 1-0 AS Nancy Lorraine

Samassa's goal came at the end of a game that the home side had dominated and the win completes a perfect week for the northerners after their defeat of Lille in the Coupe de France on Wednesday. Following last Saturday's win at Dijon, it is also the first time in two years that VA have won back-to-back Ligue 1 games and the victory moves them above Nancy on to 26 points. For Nancy, this was a first defeat of 2012 and a first loss in 11 meetings with Valenciennes.

Nancy travelled to the Stade du Hainaut looking to continue their impressive start to the New Year, but the visitors were without the injured Sébasien Puygrenier, who has been excellent since returning to the club at the start of January. Meanwhile, Valenciennes coach Daniel Sanchez made five changes to the side that beat near neighbours Lille in the Coupe de France, with Gil, David Ducourtioux, Renaud Cohade, Gaël Danic and Foued Kadir all coming back in.

Both sides are in confident mood just now, but there was only really one team in it in the first half. Valenciennes were utterly dominant, enjoying over 60 percent of the possession and doing almost all of the attacking. They had the best chance, with Vincent Aboubakar being denied by former VA ‘keeper Guy Rolland N’Dy Assembe, while at the other end Nancy were restricted to a tentative effort from Lossemy Karaboué and a Djamel Bakar shot that flew inches past the target.

As expected, Nancy improved after the break, but the first real chance of the second period still fell to the home side, with N’Dy Assembe having to do well to save from Renaud Cohade. Shortly after, Aboubakar appeared to slip when just six yards from goal, allowing Jordan Lotiès to clear.

Super-sub

The young Cameroon striker then grazed the post after being picked out by Danic, before seeing another effort brilliantly cleared by Massadio Haïdara. It really looked at that point as if it was not going to be Valenciennes’ day, but coach Sanchez had one last trick up his sleeve. Aboubakar made way for Samassa for the final five minutes, and the Malian international popped up to score just his second goal of the season in the dying embers of the game.

A minute of added time had been played when the former Marseille man profited from slack Nancy defending to fire a left-footed strike into the far corner of N’Dy Assembe’s net. Valenciennes’ long wait for a win against Nancy is finally at an end, and on current form they should have no trouble beating the drop this season.

Teamsheet