At 3 p.m., when the four games of the first multiplex of the season began, only Paris Saint-Germain, winner of the promoted Trojan last night, had managed to pocket three points. Monaco, Nantes, Lyon, Brest, Rennes and Lens had only taken one. The opportunity was therefore a good one for the eight teams entered this Sunday afternoon, to stick to the basques of the Parisian ogre. With four 0-0 at the break, the start was clearly sluggish on the lawns of France. Finally, the promoted Clermont created a sensation by winning the way in Bordeaux for his first in Ligue 1 (0-2). The Auvergnats temporarily occupy the lead, along with the SCO Angers. The Angevins made a nice coup for the return of Gerald Baticle to Strasbourg (0-2). Still running in, Christophe Galtier’s OGC Nice failed to force the decision against Reims (0-0), while Saint-Etienne could also not do better than a draw against Lorient, Geoffroy -Guichard (1-1).
Bordeaux jostled and beaten by the promoted Clermont (0-2):
At Matmut-Atlantique, in full construction since the acquisition of the club by Gérard Lopez two weeks ago, the Girondins de Bordeaux of Vladimir Petkovic rubbed shoulders with the promoted Clermont. The Auvergnats played their first minutes in the elite of French football and stood out. On a nice one-two between Jason Berthomier and Mohamed Bayo, the top scorer in Ligue 2 last year stood out, but Mr Batta, (not) helped by the VAR, refused the goal for a contentious offside position (19th). Pascal Gastien’s men scored a new goal by Jim Allevinah, but the passer Akim Zedadka was logically sanctioned for an offside at the start of the action (23rd). Allevinah (38th), Dossou (40th) and Bayo (42nd) then forced Benoît Costil to chain interventions. The 0-0 was miraculous for Bordeaux at the break. Upon returning from the locker room, the Allevinah-Bayo duo continued their recital. On the other hand, Bordeaux missed the opportunity for a hold up, but Kalou stumbled over Arthur Desmas (54th). The Girondins ended up exploding. On a cross from Zedadka, taking advantage of a perfect discount from Elbasan Rashan, Mohamed Bayo unlocked his counter in Ligue 1 (0-1, 81st). At the end of the match, Jodel Dossou finished the job, coming to humiliate Benoît Costil in a one-on-one that will be remembered by Clermont supporters (0-2, 90th + 2).
1 – Clermont is the 1st team to win in its very first Ligue 1 match since Guingamp against Martigues on July 19, 1995 (2-0) and the 1st to achieve such a performance away from CO Roubaix in St Etienne on August 26, 1945 (3-1). Baptism. # FCGBCF63 pic.twitter.com/D81nYdbFgD
– OptaJean (@OptaJean) August 8, 2021
Saint-Etienne will seek a draw against Lorient (1-1):
Claude Puel and the Greens welcomed FC Lorient for their return to Geoffroy-Guichard. Average age of the eleven from Saint-Etienne at kick-off: 23 years old. The young Stéphanoise defense bordered on corrective action from the outset. The ball poorly relaunched by Moukoudi did not benefit Laurent Abergel, who saw his shot crashing into the post of Etienne Green (6th). If Lorient started strong, Saint-Etienne then had control. But lacked realism (8 shots, 2 on target in the first act). Upon returning from the locker room, the Merlus unlocked the score. The center of Laurienté was badly apprehended by Moukoudi and the ball reached Vincent Le Goff, whose strike deflected by Aouchiche hit the bar and crossed the line, by a hair (0-1, 52nd). It took the VAR so that Mr. Leonard does not whistle a penalty in favor of the Greens. Julien Laporte was behind Wahbi Khazri in his area. The Tunisian transformed without trembling (1-1, 70th). The Greens pushed and Wahbi Khazri found the head of Mickael Nade. The bar saved Paul Nardi (74th). Hamouma’s cross was cut by Moukoudi, but his head passed just above (75th). Applied in the goal of the Bretons, Nardi held the draw.
Gérald Baticle and Angers surprise Strasbourg (0-2):
Duel of firsts at La Meinau, where Julien Stéphan (Strasbourg) and Gérald Baticle (Angers) started on their new benches. It was even a comeback for the second, Racing player from 1995 to 1998. It was also the visitors who thought to open the scoring by Angelo Fulgini, but the assistant referee had quickly raised his flag and signaled a offside (19th). Not very obvious. Served behind the Angevin defense by Caci, Habib Diallo was also logically denied a goal (26th), for an offside position. Back from the locker room, the SCO found the flaw. On a very aerial cross from Thomas Mangani, Ismaël Traoré extricated himself from the Alsatian forest and deceived Mats Sels with his head (0-1, 57th). Kevin Gameiro made his comeback on the lawn of the Meinau and received a round of applause (61st). Caci, Ajorque and Thomasson combined well, but the strike of number 10 came to die at the foot of the post (67th). While the Racingmen were looking to equalize, it was the former house Stéphane Bahoken who made the addition more difficult, on the lookout in the six meters (0-2, 81st). Angers joined Clermont at the top of the ranking.
Galtier’s Nice breaks its teeth against Reims (0-0):
With his recruits Justin Kluivert and Pablo Rosario, Christophe Galtier deployed a 4-4-2 which had made his success at LOSC in the opening against Stade de Reims. Among the Rémois, Oscar Garcia – ephemeral coach of ASSE in 2017 – could count on the former Lorient Andrew Gravillon in his defense to five. After a delicate preparation (3D, 2N, 1V), the Aiglons wanted to start the championship. Despite territorial domination, only the head of Todibo, on a free kick struck in front of the goal by Gouiri, forced Predrag Rajkovic to intervene (32nd) in the first act. At the start of the second, the Reims goalkeeper was close to being countered by Dan Ndoye in front of his goal line, but finally came out (47th). Reims defended en bloc and the Nice attackers could not get out of it. The wall was impassable and nothing was marked.
The Ligue 1 classification.
The results of the first day of Ligue 1
Monaco 1 – 1 Nantes: Gelson (14th) for Monaco; Castelletto (42nd) for Nantes.
OL 1 – 1 Brest: Slimani (62nd) for OL; Cardona (43rd) for Brest.
Troyes 1 – 2 PSG : El Hajjam (9th) for Troyes; Akimi (19th), Icardi (21st) for PSG.
Rennes 1 – 1 Lens: Sulemana (14th) for Rennes; Fofana (19th) for Lens.
Bordeaux 0 – 2 Clermont : Bayo (83rd), Dossou (90th + 2) for Clermont.
Nie 0 – 0 Reims
Saint-Etienne 1 – 1 Lorient: Khazri (70th, s.p) for Saint-Etienne; Le Goff (52nd) for Lorient.
Strasbourg 0 – 2 Angers : Traoré (57th), Bahoken (81st) for Angers.