21:00: Unfortunately, after what was a thrilling Live Commentary of 5 fantastic Ligue 1 games, it is time for me to say goodbye. All I can say is that I hope for more of the same next time, but until then, Au Revoir!
20:58: Well, what an evening of Ligue 1 action that was! Absolutely massive wins for relegation threatened Sochaux and Guingamp, Lorient and Bastia played out a thrilling 1-1 draw, while Reims and Toulouse both recorded impressive wins agains Valenciennes and Nice respectively. We had everything today, stunning goals, penalties, red cards and late drama. Who says Ligue 1 is no fun?!
20:53: FULL TIME: Lorient 1-1 Bastia, Nice 0-2 Toulouse, Reims 3-1 VAFC, Rennes 0-2 Guingamp, Sochaux 2-0 Bordeaux.
20:51: GOAL: Nice 0-2 Toulouse (Ben Yedder). Toulouse seal the victory with a swift and clinical counter attack, finished by Ben Yedder.
20:50: GOAL: Rennes 0-2 Guingamp (Yatabaré). The big striker has won the derby for Guingamp as he calmly slots away a penalty! Could that win change Guingamp’s season? It may well do you know!
20:47: Guingamp still hanging on… This time a fantastic Kerbrat slide prevents Grosicki from being through on goal, but Rennes continue to press… Wait, Guingamp have a penalty… and they have scored!
20:45: Guingamp’s fans are in ecstasy at the moment as their team hold the ball in the corner, but we still have a FIVE minutes of added time to go. Can Rennes grab an equaliser at the death?
20:44: GOAL: Reims 3-1 Valenciennes (Dossevi). Dossevi manages to grab a consolation for the away side, but it will be just that. We only have a few minutes to go, and if Valenciennes get anything from this game it will be one of the great comebacks.
20:43: Penalty Appeal: Rennes are trying everything to break down Guingamp, and they have TWO penalty appeals turned down by the referee. The replays show that, really, either one could have been given, so the home side are a little unlucky there.
20:40: GOAL: Sochaux 2-0 Bordeaux (Bakambu). Clanger alert! Carrasso makes a complete hash of a routine clearance, cannoning off a player and putting Bakambu through with nobody in goal. He duly applies the finish, and Sochaux are on course for a massive 3 points!
20:37: Close: What a chance for Nice to equalise! From a set piece, Cvitanich has a completely free header on goal, but can only direct the ball a yard or so wide with the ‘keeper completely unmoved. Massive let off for Toulouse.
20:35: GOAL: Reims 3-0 Valenciennes (Charbonnier). Charbonnier plays a clever one two with Fortes, who plays him through on goal, and Charbonnier makes no mistake with the finish, curling low past Novaes. Game over.
20:33: Close: Diallo shows some stunning skill to flick the ball over the head of two defenders, but the volley that follows is a little wild and flies wide of the goal. Still Lorient 1-1 Bastia.
20:29: GOAL: Sochaux 1-0 Toulouse (Ayew). Sochaux have the lead their early play deserved! Ayew is played through down the right, and make no mistake it is a very hard chance, but he manages to slot the ball though the legs of Carrasso. Could be a huge goal for the home side.
20:27: Rennes are attacking Guingamp like there is no tomorrow. Their fans are as loud as I have heard them in a long while, but the away side are just about clinging on to their slender lead. 20 minutes to go.
20:24: GOAL: Nice 0-1 Toulouse (Ben Basat). Wow, if Nice fans were angry earlier, they must be fuming now! Toulouse attack down the right, and after the ball is cleared the first time Nice have a man down in the middle of the box injured. Toulouse carry on though, and as the ball is played back across the area, Ben Basat is on hand to tap in. Really harsh on Nice.
20:20: Hits the Woodwork: Bordeaux come so close to taking the lead! Sertic sends in a long range effort which has Pelé completely beaten, but it cannons back off the crossbar!
20:17: Nice fans around the ground are still booing in response to that decision to send off Palun. I don’t think they have much cause for complaint though, it was a really nasty challenge.
20:15: In the derby between Rennes and Guingamp, Rennes are pressing hard for an equaliser, but they have been unable to find it so far as Guingamp’s defence remains firm. They hold a narrow, probably undeserved, lead, but a win against an in-form Rennes would be a huge result.
20:12: RED CARD: Palun. Nice are now down to 10 men! Palun goes into a challenge with a high foot and studs showing, and he makes some nasty-looking contact on a Toulouse player. Definite red card for me, and Nice will do well to get anything out of this game now.
20:08: GOAL: Lorient 1-1 Bastia (Bruno). Absolutely stunning goal, a goal of the season contender! Romaric plays a high ball from defence over the top of Lorient’s back 4, and Bruno connect perfectly with a volley to leave Chaigneau with no chance. That goal was just like Van Persie’s goals against Everton or Villa last year. Brilliant
20:05: Bordeaux have come out with an improved attitude in this second half so far. They are pressing Sochaux in the early stages, but still 0-0 as we speak.
20:02: KICK OFF: We are back underway in all 5 Ligue 1 games!
19:58: Well, after that refreshing break, the players are ready to get back out onto the pitch. Kick Off is imminent…
19:46: HALF TIME: Lorient 1-0 Bastia, Nice 0-0 Toulouse, Reims 2-0 Valenciennes, Rennes 0-1 Guingamp, Sochaux 0-0 Bordeaux.
19:42: GOAL: Rennes 0-1 Guingamp (Giresse). Wow! Completely against the run of play, Guingamp have the lead! It is an extremely scrappy goal, with Rennes having 3 or 4 chances to clear before it fell to Giresse, but Guingamp will not care one bit.
19:39: GOAL: Reims 2-0 Valenciennes (Oniangue). Reims create a two goal cushion thanks to Oniangue, who has been in good form this season. Valenciennes are looking less and less likely to get something out of the game…
19:37: GOAL: Lorient 1-0 Bastia (Ecuele Manga). Lorient take the lead from an unlikely source! Defender Ecuele Manga, who has not scored in 2 years of Ligue 1 football, gives his side the lead from a set piece. Bastia will be disappointed with the marking there.
19:34: As I say that, Bastia have a decent chance to score! Romaric sends in a low, skidding shot, and Chaigneau has to get down low well to save.
19:30: I haven’t said much about Lorient vs Bastia, and for good reason: nothing has happened! Lorient are on top, and Bastia are looking to counter, but the two sides are cancelling each other out at the moment.
19:27: Sochaux have a free kick in a very promising position… but Corchia fires straight into the wall and Bordeaux are able to clear. Impressive start from the home side, but they need that first goal.
19:24: GOAL: Reims 1-0 Valenciennes (De Preville). Route one football gives Reims the lead! From goalkeeper Placide’s kick, De Preville finds himself through on goal down the right, and his finish is clinical to give his side the lead.
19:20: This derby is turning into a thriller! This time it is Guingamp who come close to scoring, as Alioui has a header cleared off the line, before Yatabaré is denied.
19:18: Penalty Appeal. Pathetic is the only way to describe this. Waris falls under a non-existent challenge and claims for a penalty. When it is correctly denied, he remains on the floor for a minute or two, before it becomes clear that he is not injured at all…
19:16: Disallowed Goal: Ntep delivers a free kick from the left, and it is steered in by Toivonen at the near post, but the goal is chalked off for offside on the Swede. It is marginal, but it appears to be the right decision. Guingamp clinging on by the skin of their teeth.
19:15: Sochaux, who are desperately trying to rescue their season and avoid what looks like certain relegation, are pressing hard against Bordeaux.
19:11: Nice vs Toulouse has a nice pace to it, with both sides keen to press forward and look for the opening goal. Nice’s latest attack looks promising, but the ball is taken from Bauthéac and the move breaks down. Lively start form both sides.
19:07: Hits the Woodwork: First chance in the Rennes vs Guingamp derby! After some stunning build up play involving Toivonen and Ntep, Alessandrini is played through on goal with just Samassa to beat. He in fact does beat him, but his powerful shot cannons off the bar!
19:04: No chances to tell you about in the first few minutes. Rennes, as you would expect, are immediately on the front foot against Guingamp, and it takes a good Kerbrat clearance to deny them a decent shot on goal.
19:00: KICK OFF: We are underway across all 5 grounds!
18:58: Just two minutes now until kick off, and the players are beginning to emerge from the tunnels. As we near the business end of the season, with only 11 games to come after this weekend, each match becomes more and more important. Who will rise to the challenge? Let’s find out…
18:53: So, what can we expect from tonight’s Ligue 1 games? Well, one thing is for sure that Guingamp have a tough night ahead of them trying to contain a Rennes strike force, led by January signing Toivonen, which has scored 5 goals in the last 2 games. Guingamp themselves are in a bit of trouble at the bottom, so this will definitely be an interesting match up.
18:49: Bordeaux team vs Sochaux: Carrasso – Mariano, Henrique, Sané, Orban – Faubert, Nguemo, Sertic, Maurice-Belay – Saivet, Hoarau.
18:48: Sochaux team vs Bordeaux: Pelé – Faussurier, Sunzu, Carlao, Marange – Corchia, Sinkala, Malsa, Roudet, Contout – Bakambu.
18:48: Guingamp team vs Rennes: Samassa – Martins-Pereira, Kerbrat, Sorbon, Dos Santos – Beauvue, Mathis, Sankharé, Giresse – Alioui, Yatabaré.
18:47: Rennes team vs Guingamp: Costil – Danzé, Boye, Armand, M’Bengue – Makoun, Konradsen – Alessandrini, Kadir, Ntep – Toivonen.
18:47: Valenciennes team vs Reims: Novaes – Nery, Medjani, Kagelmacher, Masuaku – Ducourtioux, Enza Yamissi, Doumbia – Melikson – Pujol, Waris.
18:46: Reims team vs Valenciennes: Placide – Conte, Tacalfred, Weber, Signorino – Devaux, Krychowiak, Oniangué – Fortes, De Préville, Ayité.
18:46: Toulouse team vs Nice: Boucher – Veskovac, Zebina, Spajic – Aurier, Trejo, Didot, Chantôme, Sylla – Braithwaite, Ben Yedder
18:45: Nice team vs Toulouse: Hassen – Palun, Genevois, Bodmer, Kolodziejczak – Mendy, Abriel – Brüls, Eysseric, Bauthéac – Cvitanich.
18:45: Bastia team vs Lorient: Leca – Diakité, Squillaci, Modesto, Harek – Boudebouz, Romaric, Sablé, Khazri – Achilli, D. Cissé.
18:44: Lorient team vs Bastia: Chaigneau – Gassama, Ecuele Manga, Lautoa, Barthelmé – Monnet-Paquet, Bourillon, Jouffre, Doukouré – Aliadière, Aboubakar.
18:40: Welcome one and all to yet another Live Commentary of some Saturday evening Ligue 1 action. As usual, we have 5 games kicking off at 19:00 GMT: Lorient vs Bastia, Nice vs Toulouse, Reims vs Valenciennes, Rennes vs Guingamp and Sochaux vs Bordeaux. Team news coming up shortly…
