NANCY 1-2 BASTIA
Nancy ended an eight-year stay in the top-flight after defeat to Bastia saw them consigned to Ligue 2 football next season.
After
a mesmerising run of form under Patrick Gabriel to get them out of the
drop zone and up to 17th place, three consecutive defeats in the last
three games, coupled with Evian's late blossoming run, has seen the
hosts go down.
Ilan fired the Corsicans in front soon after the break, diverting in from Anthony Modeste's pass, before Sebastien Puygrenier equalised.
With Evian leading against Valenciennes, the hosts pushed to grab the goal that would see them fight another day, but Modeste's fine finish after Claudio Beauvue's neat cut-back signalled the end of Nancy's Ligue 1 adventure.
SAINT-ETIENNE 2-0 OLYMPIQUE DE MARSEILLE
Saint-Etienne's
hopes of Champions League football was boosted with a 2-0 win over
Olympique de Marseille, who had nothing to play for after securing
second place last week.
With the title lost to PSG, and their
season objectives met, if not exceeded, it was clear to see that the
visitors played with a sense of accomplishment, as the hosts dominated
the early proceedings.
Loic Perrin put them ahead midway through the first half, rising highest from a corner, before former Marseille striker Brandao got one over his former employers with a well-taken second just before half-time, connecting well with Faouzi Ghoulam's cross.
Christophe
Galtier's side remain in fourth place, but with Europa League football
already secured following their Coupe de la Ligue triumph, they will now
focus on catching rivals Lyon in third.
TROYES 1-0 BORDEAUX
A
third victory on the trot saw Troyes rise above relegated Nancy and
remain in contention for survival after a narrow 1-0 victory over
ten-man Bordeaux.
Having lost to les Girondins in
Tuesday's Coupe de France semi-final, the Champagne side were hoping to
secure the three points which could see them closer to safety, having
spent the entire season in the drop zone.
And Frederic Hantz's
men didn't disappoint, as they controlled Bordeaux for large periods of
the game, with the visitors appearing distinctly narrow and lethargic.
The game's winning goal was scored by Fabien Camus
on 56 minutes, whose fine effort beat Cedric Carrasso, before Bordeaux
saw Julien Faubert sent off nine minutes later. Cheick Diabate's header
hit the woodwork late on, as Troyes held on to fight another day.
EVIAN 2-0 VALENCIENNES
Evian secured Ligue 1 survival with a comfortable 2-0 win over a disappointing Valenciennes' side at Parc des Sports in Annecy.
Saber Khlifa,
scorer of last week's outrageous 60-metre goal against Nice, found the
net once, in albeit less impressive circumstances, firing in from
Fabrice Ehret's pass inside two minutes.
The roles changed ten minutes later as Khlifa reciprocated the favour, teeing up Ehret to make it 2-0 on 12 minutes.
Valenciennes
were marshalled well throughout, though Nicolas Penneteau thwarted a
third, being forced into a smart stop from a powerful effort from Daniel
Wass. Nevertheless, Evian can look forward to a third Ligue 1 campaign
next year.
SOCHAUX 1-2 TOULOUSE
Sochaux's
defeat to Toulouse means that they remain precariously above the drop
zone after a narrow 1-2 loss against Alain Casanova's men in
Montbeliard.
The visitors started positively, despite playing for
nothing more than pride, and they raced into an early lead. Adil
Hermach's effort could only be parried by Simon Pouplin, as Issiaga Sylla rebounded to pick up his first senior goal.
It was 2-0 to the visitors soon after, as Adrien Rabiot picked a superb pass out to Jean-Daniel Akpa-Akpro, who fired past Pouplin to double his side's advantage.
Giovanni Sio
pulled one back for the hosts, powerfully placing the ball past Ali
Ahamada, but even with Etienne Capoue's red card later in the game, the
hosts will be looking nervously over their shoulders with Troyes still
able to catch them on the final day next weekend.
MONTPELLIER 0-0 LILLE
Lille's
Champions League hopes took a further blow on Saturday night as they
were held to a 0-0 draw by mid-table Montpellier at Stade de la Mosson.
In
what was Rene Girard's final home game as MHSC coach, a year to the day
after he won the Ligue 1 title, Montpellier's disappointing campaign
will now see them finish outside the European places, though Lille are
in danger of following them too after a lethargic display.
With
nothing to separate the two sides, it was a game of few clear-cut
chances, with Dimtri Payet and Co. unable to unlock a solid Herault
defence.
Lille sit on 61 points, behind Saint-Etienne, Lyon and
Nice in the race for Champions League qualification, which will head
into the final day.
STADE RENNAIS 1-1 AJACCIO
Ajaccio
failed to mathematically secure Ligue 1 survival as they were held to a
1-1 draw against Stade Rennais at Stade de la Route de Lorient.
Frederic
Antoinetti presided over his final home game as Rennes boss following a
five-year spell, but it was the visitors who threatened to spoil the
occasion, as they took the lead inside five minutes thanks to Fousseini Diawara, who turned Benjamin Andre's shot past Benoit Costil.
The hosts rallied, and equalised in stoppage time of the first half as Steven Moreira's cross was met emphatically by Mevlut Erding.
Neither
side could find a second, with Ajaccio now hovering above the drop zone
on 40 points, but a Troyes win and a seven-goal swing in goal
difference could see them go down next week.
STADE DE REIMS 1-0 FC LORIENT
Stade de Reims secured Ligue 1 survival with a narrow 1-0 win over Lorient, as they moved up to 14th place on 42 points.
The
winner came from the penalty spot, after Diego Rigonato - who later was
stretchered off - dribbled his way into the box before Lamine Gassama's
foul ensured the referee pointed to the spot. Up stepped Gregorz Krychowiak to fire his fourth Ligue 1 goal of the season.
The
Poland international, who has also scored the winner against Lyon and
PSG this season, was instrumental throughout the game, as Lorient looked
disappointing up front without top scorer Jeremie Aliadiere.
NICE 1-1 OLYMPIQUE LYONNAIS
The
game, originally scheduled for Saturday evening along with the other
nine fixtures, was postponed until Sunday afternoon due to inclement
weather in the Cote d'Azur region.
But Nice's spirits weren't to
be dampened in the last-ever game at the historic Stade du Ray, with the
south coast side moving into the Allianz Riviera next year.
After
a first-half of attacking intensity coupled with poor finishing, it was
the hosts who took the lead in controversial circumstances, with Dario Cvitanich scoring from the penalty spot despite minimal contact made by Bakary Kone.
Bafetimbi
Gomis wasted a great chance, but Lyon's hopes seemed to fade once
captain Maxime Gonalons was sent off - but a minute later, their luck
would change. Clement Grenier fired an exquisite Juninho-esque free-kick from 30 metres past David Ospina, and salvaged a point for the visitors.
Whilst
a win would have confirmed Champions League qualification, Lyon now sit
on 64 points, two ahead of Saint-Etienne and three clear of Lille. Nice
can secure Europa League football next weekend.
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