Substitute Muhammed Cham’s late penalty gave Clermont Foot 63 a shock 1-0 win over Olympique Lyonnais at the Groupama Stadium on New Year’s Day as Laurent Blanc’s side endured a nightmare start to 2023. AS Monaco and FC Lorient were also among the winners on Sunday.
Olympique Lyonnais 0-1 Clermont Foot 63
THE MATCH
Lyon were looking to pick up where they left off in midweek, when they returned from the long hiatus for the World Cup to beat Stade Brestois 4-2 away in Brittany. Blanc made just the one change to his side, replacing the absent Corentin Tolisso with Thiago Mendes in midfield. But as impressive as OL had been four days earlier, they were very flat here, even if they created the best chances in the first half.
Anthony Lopes had to save well to stop Saël Kumbedi scoring an own goal in the 18th minute but at the other end Tetê squandered a good chance after going round goalkeeper Mory Diaw. Rayan Cherki then set up Alexandre Lacazette to blast a shot over and Diaw produced an excellent stop to deny Kumbedi.
However, the hosts ran out of ideas in the second half and the match appeared to be petering out to a goalless draw when Clermont won a late penalty. Referee Stéphanie Frappart did not initially penalise Castello Lukeba when Grejohn Kyei played the ball off his arm in the box, but she changed her mind after coming across to view the images on the pitchside monitor. Austrian midfielder Cham stepped up to score from the spot and give Clermont a first win in seven matches, delivering a huge blow to Lyon’s hopes of setting off on a charge towards European qualification.
THE PLAYER: Castello Lukeba
The young centre-back, who only recently turned 20, was incredibly unlucky to give away the penalty that decided this game in Clermont’s favour. He is a defender of great promise, but Blanc knows he needs to add experience to his back line and reinforcements are expected in this month’s transfer window.
THE STAT: 35
This was Clermont’s first win over their near neighbours in 35 years.
AS Monaco 1-0 Stade Brestois 29
Monaco made it back-to-back wins on their return from the World Cup break as a solitary Aleksandr Golovin goal proved enough to beat Brest at the Stade Louis II. The principality side had plenty of chances to get the breakthrough in the first half, including a Mohamed Camara shot in the 12th-minute that came back off the woodwork. But they went in front nine minutes after the interval as Camara set up Golovin to score a magnificent goal from range. Philippe Clément’s side then held on as Steve Mounié hit the bar with a header for the visitors five minutes from time.
Angers SCO 1-2 FC Lorient
After a fine start to the season, Lorient had not won in six matches before travelling to the Stade Raymond Kopa to take on bottom side Angers. And it was the hosts who went in front early on as Pierrick Capelle’s corner from the right was headed in by Abdallah Sima as the Senegal international scored his first Ligue 1 Uber Eats goal.
However, Sima then headed an Enzo Le Fée corner into his own net in the 79th minute to bring Lorient level. Moments later, Nabil Bentaleb crashed a shot off the bar for Angers, and it was the visitors who claimed all three points when Le Fée scored with a brilliant drive high into the net (88’). Lorient’s European push is back on track, but that is nine straight defeats now for bottom side Angers.
Toulouse FC 2-0 AC Ajaccio
Toulouse bounced back from their 6-1 hammering by Marseille on Thursday to claim a precious victory against Ajaccio at Le Stadium. Rafael Ratão opened the scoring just a minute into the second half and Brecht Dejaegere doubled their lead just after the hour mark as Philippe Montanier’s side ended a run of four straight losses and moved six points clear of the drop zone.
FC Nantes 1-0 AJ Auxerre
This was a key game at the foot of the table, with Nantes starting the year just one point and one place above the relegation zone. Auxerre had the chance to climb above Les Canaris with a win at the Stade de la Beaujoire but the hosts were the more dangerous team. Ignatius Ganago hit the bar late in the first half for Antoine Kombouaré’s side and Marcus Coco put them ahead in the 74th minute with what proved to be the only goal of the game. The result gives Nantes some much-needed breathing space at the bottom.