Matchday 19: Saturday round-up

[Freddy Adu]

Matchday 19: Saturday round-up

Juan Eduardo Eluchans (pictured) is on target as Caen's remarkable climb continues while Marseille, Bordeaux, Auxerre and Nice all record 1-0 victories.

Ligue 1, Matchday 19 Marseille 1 Niang 14 Le Mans 0 Match Stats Marseille clinched a 1-0 win over Le Mans to finish 2007 on a high and extend their unbeaten run to seven matches. It was far from a vintage performance from Eric Gerets' side but the result gives them a much-needed boost as they prepare to climb the table in 2008. L'OM have collected 15 points from a possible 21, which has seen them move up to 11th on 25 points and means relegation worries are fading. Le Mans were unable to take advantage of absentees in the Marseille ranks – centre-backs Julien Rodriguez and Gael Givet and captain and key midfielder Lorik Cana were all out – as outstanding attackers Gervinho and Tulio De Melo had their quietest games for weeks. Coach Rudy Garcia will be delighted his team have finished the first-half of the season so high in the table (fifth) but might have expected a little more here, although the conditions were difficult. They goal came in the 14th minute and it was that man Mamadou Niang on target again. Samir Nasri was the supplier, as he has been so many times in recent weeks, and Niang beat Le Mans goalkeeper Rodolphe Roche with a powerful shot for his 10th goal of the season. Djibril Cisse, making a rare start, came close to doubling Marseille's advantage 10 minutes later but saw his lob sail over the bar. Le Mans hit back when Japanese midfielder Daisuke Matsui tricked Taye Taiwo and cut infield before unleashing a ferocious shot that grazed the top of the Marseille bar. But that was Le Mans' best chance of the first-half – and their best chance of the game until injury-time. De Melo finally got involved in the action with a late, late drive but Marseille's outstanding goalkeeper Steve Mandanda was equal to it and turned it round for a corner. The hosts rode out the danger and hung on to clinch a deserved win. Sochaux 0 Bordeaux 1 Jussie 86 Match Stats Bordeaux snatched a late winner to reduce the gap on second-placed Nancy and condemn Sochaux to a miserable winter break slumped in 19th place. Brazilian Jussie made the vital breakthrough four minutes from time. It was cruel on Sochaux, as they had more than matched the visitors in the second-half. In a game of few chances the hosts showed they can still fight their way out of trouble in the New Year – but the result leaves them four points from safety and means that whoever caretaker coach Jean-Luc Ruty hands over to will need to instill confidence into the side. Bordeaux dominated possession in the first-half but created few scoring opportunities. It was actually Sochaux who came closest to scoring when midfielder Guiranne N'Daw ventured forward and smashed a left-foot shot that flew just wide of Bordeaux goalkeeper Ulrich Rame's upright just after the half-hour mark. Tricky playing conditions made life difficult for both teams but Sochaux came out fighting after the interval and created several openings. Julien Quercia came on as a substitute and added weight to Sochaux's attack but the Bordeaux defence stood firm while Rame made saves and was dominant in the air. Sochaux tired late on and the game appeared to be heading towards a goalless stalemate but then Bordeaux snatched a late winner. Brazilian midfielder Wendel played a superb through ball to his compatriot and Jussie finished coolly to claim all three points for Laurent Blanc's side. This was Sochaux's sixth home defeat of the season while Bordeaux have been very impressive on the road, winning four times. Caen 2 Eluchans 40, Hengbart 80 (pen) Strasbourg 0 Match Stats Caen remain in the hunt for a Champions League berth next season after a hard-fought win at the Stade Michel D'Ornano. Goals near the end of each half were enough to see off a spirited Strasbourg side that ended the game with 10 men. Having dominated the opening exchanges and created the better chances, Strasbourg went into the half-time interval rightly aggrieved at what happened in the closing minutes of the half. Having almost taken a deserved lead themselves - a corner from Yacine Abdessadki was met by a powerful header from Habib Bellaid and the 21-year-old's header grazed the outside of the post - the visitors soon found themselves behind as Caen produced a classic smash-and-grab raid. Having created virtually nothing in the opening 45 minutes, winger Nicolas Florentin fired the ball in from the left and Argentinian midfielder Juan Eduardo Eluchans glanced home a header against the run of play. The goal clearly had a profound effect on both sides, and in the second half the match reverted the pattern that had been expected, with high-flying Caen dominating their Alsacian visitors. After much huffing and puffing, the result was finally confirmed by a penalty 10 minutes from time after Gregory Paisley had pulled down substitute Lilian Compan in the area. Once Paisely had been booked, defender Cedric Hengbart converted the spot-kick, just eluding the outstretched right hand of Stephane Cassard. As the match ticked down to an inevitable defeat for Strasbourg, Paisley was given his marching orders for a needless foul. Nice 1 Hellebuyck 43 Valenciennes 0 Match Stats Nice's unbeaten home run continued as a spectacular David Hellebuyck strike earned them a 1-0 victory over 10-man Valenciennes. The visitors had a warning of what was to come later when former Lyon, St Etienne and PSG midfielder Hellebuyck hit a 35-yard free-kick that whizzed inches over the bar in the sixth minute. Valenciennes hit back when Johan Audel fed striker partner Steve Savidan but Nice somehow managed to clear the danger from six yards. Then came the moment that changed the game for the visitors when Yacine Bezzaz was given a straight red card for a foul on Cyril Jeunechamp on 16 minutes. Valenciennes thus had an enormous task on their hands, having to play for virtually 75 minutes with a man fewer – and it proved beyond them. Savidan missed a glorious chance to put the visitors ahead shortly after the sending-off but after that Nice did all the attacking, with only the brilliance of Valenciennes goalkeeper Nicolas Penneteau keeping them out. But he could do nothing about Hellebuyck's goal a minute before half-time, which flew into the top corner following a misunderstanding between Filip Sebo and Abdeslam Ouaddou which gifted possession to the Nice midfielder. The extra man began to pay in the second-half as Nice unleashed wave after wave of attacks on Valenciennes' goal. Brazilian playmaker Ederson twice came close for the home side, once following excellent work from Hellebuyck, and substitute striker Habib Bamogo also saw his two efforts denied by Penneteau. Late on veteran striker Lilian Laslandes got in on the action, but he too was unable to beat the inspired visiting keeper. Yet all Penneteau's marvellous saves were in vain as Valenciennes were unable to mount counter-attacks so Nice ran out 1-0 winners – which stretches their unbeaten run at Stade du Ray to 19 matches, all the way back to January. The result means they end the first-half of the season in seventh, with Valenciennes sixth. Both teams have 29pts. Auxerre 1 Traore 68 Monaco 0 Match Stats A second half strike from defender Sammy Traore ensured three priceless for Auxerre against Monaco at the Stade Abbe Deschamps. Auxerre, precariously placed just a single point clear of the relegation zone, started the game the quicker of the two sides, clearly aware of the need to win the game. They almost made the crucial breakthrough early on with Denmark midfielder Thomas Kahlenberg crashing a right-foot shot against Flavio Roma's right-hand upright on 15 minutes. Despite their misfortune, Auxerre continued to press but it was Monaco who might have seized the initiative had the referee awarded the visitors a penalty when Frederic Piquionne appeared to have been brought down by Olivier Sorin. In fact, the official signalled a dive by the France international. Minutes later, at the other end of the pitch, Monaco's bad luck was evened out when the referee missed a blatant handball in the area by defender Leandro Cufre. Chastened by the experiences in the first half, Auxerre pressed on in the second period and with little over 20 minutes to go finally made the breakthrough, Mali defender Sammy Traore registering his first goal for the club at the back post. Lorient 2 Saifi 57, Marin 90 Metz 0 Match Stats Lorient moved into the top-10 in Ligue 1 after an ultimately comfortable home win against bottom side Metz. Second-half goals from Rafik Saifi and Nicolas Marin ensure les Merlus end 2007 in eighth place, three points better off than this stage last season. Having lost just once in the last nine games, Christian Gourcuff's side went into the game against lowly Metz full of confidence, and it didn't take long for the first chance to arrive. With seven goals to his name already this campaign, it was no surprise to see Rafik Saifi try something spectacular when a cross came in from Yohan Hautcoeur. Sadly Saifi's acrobatic effort lacked the power to trouble Christophe Marichez in the Metz goal. But despite the great start, the goal simply wouldn't come as Metz belied their poor run of six consecutive defeats. Near the hour mark, however, the pressure finally told. And the goal was certainly worth the wait. A slick move between midfielders Ulrich Le Pen and Fabriel Abriel carved open the Metz defence, presenting Saifi with a golden opportunity to notch his eighth goal of the season. The Algerian gleefully snapped it up, volleying home with aplomb. Metz, to their credit, fought hard to get back into the match, but when Saifi turned provider, setting substitute Marin clear to score in injury time, the writing was on the wall. Relegation is surely just a formality for the visitors.