Stade Brestois 29 2-4 Girondins de Bordeaux

THE MATCH

Bordeaux travelled to the Stade Francis-Le Blé knowing that anything less than a victory - and indeed a 12-goal swing in their favour - would send them down for the first time since 1991, and they started brightly with Ricardo Mangas firing home the opener (14'). Brest equalised quickly, though, when Romain Del Castillo picked out Steve Mounié, who's volley left Gaëtan Poussin in the visiting goal with no chance (16'). Poussin was equal to a Youcef Belaïli effort midway through the half (25') and les Girondins retook the lead when Sékou Mara reacted quickest to Danylo Ihnatenko's parried shot (32'). Just as with their first, Bordeaux were picking the ball out of their own net two minutes after scoring, though, Belaïli this time getting the better of Poussin with a header from a Del Castillo corner (34'). Poussin then stopped Belaïli from giving Brest the lead (36') and it was 2-2 at the break.

Out of time

Belaïli though he should have had a penalty approaching the hour mark when he skipped past Mara and Enock Kwateng in the box, going down under the latter's challenge, but referee Hakim Ben El Hadj waved his claim away (58'). Bordeaux kept their heads up and they had the chance to pull in front once again when Javairô Dilrosun curled a free-kick into the Brest box, but Poussin's opposite number Marco Bizot punched clear (69'). The next go-ahead goal came soon after, though. Again Dilrosun was involved, his shot drawing a save from Bizot, and Mara was on hand to bag his second goal of the game (73'). Dilrosun then curled another effort home (75') and Bordeaux finished well, but it was ultimately too little too late for the six-time French champions.

THE PLAYER: Sékou Mara

It's a shame for Bordeaux that Mara has only really begun to make good on his promise since the turn of the year. That is no fault of the forward - he is only 19 after all - but five of his six goals this season have come in 2022 and one can't help but wonder if Bordeaux could have scored their way out of trouble if the teenager had been paired in attack with primary goal-getter Hwang Ui-jo for the bulk of the campaign.

THE STAT: 30

Bordeaux will play second-tier football for the first time in three decades next term. The last time they went down, they re-emerged in 1992 with future FIFA World Cup winners Zinedine Zidane, Bixente Lizarazu and Christophe Dugarry in their ranks and took home the fifth of their six Ligue 1 Uber Eats titles four years later, with Sylvain Wiltord winning that season's Golden Boot. For now, it's back to the basics for les Girondins, but they have shown before it is never safe to count them out for long.

Paris Saint-Germain 5-0 FC Metz

It was perhaps unsurprising that FC Metz joined Bordeaux in automatic relegation, having needed to better AS Saint-Étienne's result against FC Nantes on their trip to the Parc des Princes to face newly-crowned champions Paris Saint-Germain.

Kylian Mbappé today extended his deal with PSG, turning down the advances of Real Madrid, and celebrated with a hat-trick at the Parc des Princes. Neymar Jr. and Angel Di Maria were also on target in the capital as the hosts ran riot.

FC Nantes 1-1 AS Saint-Étienne

Metz nonetheless ended the day with a superior goal-difference to Saint-Étienne, but that was rendered irrelevant after les Verts battled back to hold FC Nantes to a 1-1 draw at the Stade de la Beaujoire.

Ludovic Blas had given les Canaris the lead with a first-half penalty, but ASSE dug deep and levelled the game late on through veteran attacker Romain Hamouma. Pascal Dupraz will now face AJ Auxerre in the promotion/relegation playoff on 26 and 29 May.

FC Lorient 1-1 ESTAC Troyes

FC Lorient and ESTAC Troyes were both already save heading into their meeting at the Stade du Moustoir, and they played out a 1-1 draw with Yoann Touzghar and Armand Laurienté exchanging goals.

Angers SCO 2-0 Montpellier Hérault SC

Elsewhere, Angers SCO concluded their season with a win, beating Montpellier Hérault SC 2-0 at the Stade Raymond Kopa. A Thomas Mangani penalty and Mathias Pereira Lage striker were the difference between the mid-table sides, although Montpellier end the season two points better off than their hosts.