Iké Ugbo got the only goal of the game as ESTAC Troyes beat FC Nantes 1-0 to open up a six-point gap on the automatic relegation places.
ESTAC Troyes 1-0 FC Nantes
THE MATCH
Troyes began the day 10 places and 17 points worse off than their visitors, teetering on the brink of the relegation zone, but they started on the front foot at their Stade de l'Aube with Yasser Larouci fizzing a shot past the near post early on (4'). The former Liverpool left-back was a livewire down his flank and might have had his first Troyes goal on another foray forward towards the end of the half, but after reaching the box and letting fly, his effort was turned around the post by Alban Lafont (34'). Troyes weren't to be denied for long, though. Xavier Chavalerin fired Erik Palmer-Brown's knock-down back into the danger zone, and Ugbo stuck a foot out to steer home his second l'ESTAC goal for 1-0 (43'). Troyes could even have taken a two-goal lead into the interval, but Lebo Mothiba failed to steer his header from a Rominigue Kouamé cross under the crossbar (45'+1) and it was 1-0 at the break.
Troyes close it out
Both teams were unchanged at the break, although Nantes looked brighter with Antoine Kombouaré's half-time team talk no doubt still ringing in their ears. Randal Kolo Muani (48') and Moses Simon (57') both attempted to prise Troyes open in behind their full-backs, but both times the danger they created ultimately came to nothing. Troyes brought Renaud Ripart on for Mothiba for the final half-hour, and the forward drew a save from Lafont soon after (70'). Willem Geubbels then tested Gauthier Gallon at the other end (72') - a rare save that the hosts' 'keeper had to make. Nantes tried till the end to snatch a share of the spoils, and they might have done just that had somebody been there to meet Geubbels' low cross (85'), but it was to no avail and it ended 1-0.
THE PLAYER: Yasser Larouci
It was Larouci's cross that ultimately led to Ugbo's goal, and the young Algerian kept the normally irrepressible Dennis Appiah on the back foot for long periods. There is little shame in finding yourself behind Andy Robertson and Kostas Tsimikas as a young left-back at Liverpool, and Troyes signing him on a free last summer could prove to be one of the steals of that transfer window in the longer run.
THE STAT: 6
This was Troyes's first home win in Ligue 1 Uber Eats in six attempts. The last time Bruno Irles's side picked up all three points at their Stade de l'Aube was at the start of December when they beat FC Lorient 2-0 thanks to goals from Ripart and Kouamé.