Football

Lille's hopes of climbing into the top three of Ligue 1 were dashed by a dramatic 96th-minute equalizer from Nice, resulting in a 2-2 draw. Meanwhile, Lyon emerged victorious in the historic "Le Derby" against Saint-Etienne, securing a 1-0 triumph.Lille twice took the lead through Matias Fernandez-Pardo and Mitchel Bakker, but Nice responded on both occasions, with Sofiane Diop and Tom Louchet finding the net. The draw leaves Lille in fourth place, while Nice remains in sixth.Lille coach Bruno Genesio expressed disappointment, acknowledging that his team failed to capitalize on their opportunities. "We deserved to win, but when you don't do enough, you can get caught out," he said.In the Lyon-Saint-Etienne derby, Alexandre Lacazette's 29th-minute goal proved decisive. Despite a late scare when a VAR review overturned a potential Lyon goal, Saint-Etienne failed to find an equalizer, extending their winless streak to seven matches.Elsewhere, Reims climbed to seventh with a 3-0 victory over Le Havre, while Montpellier earned a crucial 3-1 home win against Brest. Toulouse moved up to 10th with a 2-0 triumph at Rennes, who are reportedly close to appointing Jorge Sampaoli as their new coach.

Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) extended their lead atop the French Ligue 1 standings to six points on Saturday with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Lens. The defending champions' triumph was secured by an early goal from Ousmane Dembélé, who has been in impressive form since returning from injury.Dembélé's strike came in the fourth minute when he received a low cross from Bradley Barcola and slotted the ball into the back of the net. Barcola has been PSG's standout attacking player this season, and his assist for Dembélé's goal was a testament to his growing influence in the team.PSG dominated possession throughout the match but struggled to create clear-cut chances. Lens, on the other hand, defended resolutely and had a few opportunities of their own. However, they were unable to find an equalizer, and PSG held on for a narrow victory.The win was particularly important for PSG as it came just days before their crucial Champions League clash against Atletico Madrid. Dembélé's return to form is a major boost for coach Luis Enrique, who has been under pressure to improve the team's attacking output.Despite their victory, PSG will be disappointed not to have scored more goals. They had several chances to extend their lead, but they were unable to capitalize on them. Lens, meanwhile, will be encouraged by their performance and will believe they can challenge for a top-half finish this season.

Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) extended their dominance over arch-rivals Marseille with a resounding 3-0 victory at the Stade Velodrome on Sunday. The triumph propelled PSG to the summit of Ligue 1, three points clear of Monaco, who suffered their first defeat of the season.The highly-anticipated Classique was effectively decided by halftime as PSG raced to a commanding three-goal lead. Marseille's misery was compounded by the dismissal of Amine Harit for a reckless challenge on Marquinhos.PSG's Joao Neves opened the scoring early on, capitalizing on a goalkeeping error by Geronimo Rulli. The match took a decisive turn in the 20th minute when Harit was sent off, leaving Marseille with a numerical disadvantage.Just nine minutes later, Leonardo Balerdi inadvertently doubled PSG's lead with an own goal. Bradley Barcola then put the game beyond doubt with a clinical finish five minutes before the break.Marseille, who had started the season strongly, endured a chastening night as their 12-match winless streak against PSG at home continued. Hundreds of their fans had already departed by halftime, expressing their frustration with the team's lackluster performance."I'm disappointed," said Marseille coach Roberto De Zerbi. "We had prepared a match of courage and personality. But up until Harit was sent off, there was neither courage nor personality."Meanwhile, Monaco's title hopes suffered a setback as they fell 2-1 to Nice in the Côte d'Azur derby. Breel Embolo gave Monaco the lead, but Nice rallied with goals from Evann Guessand and Gaetan Laborde. Monaco's defeat, coupled with PSG's victory, leaves them three points behind the league leaders."I'm not happy with the result," said Monaco coach Adi Huetter. "When you lose a derby, everyone is disappointed. But we're guilty because we had the game in our hands. And it came down to two stupid mistakes."In other Ligue 1 action, Lyon drew 2-2 with Auxerre, while Strasbourg climbed to the top half of the table with a 3-1 victory over Nantes. Toulouse also impressed with a 3-0 win at Montpellier.

French football star Paul Pogba expressed his eagerness to return to the pitch after his doping ban was reduced from four years to 18 months. In an interview with L'Equipe television, Pogba stated that football was "the strawberry cake that was taken out of my mouth."Pogba, who plays for Italian giants Juventus, will be eligible to return to competitive football on March 11, 2024, just days before his 32nd birthday. The 91-time France international tested positive for testosterone in August 2023 after a match between Juventus and Udinese.Initially suspended for four years by the Italian National Anti-Doping Tribunal, Pogba's representatives argued that the testosterone came from a food supplement prescribed by a doctor in the United States. The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) subsequently reduced the ban to 18 months."The nightmare is over," said Pogba, expressing his relief and anticipation for his return. When asked about a potential move to Ligue 1, where he has never played professionally, Pogba responded with a positive "why not?"Pogba played a pivotal role in France's 2018 World Cup victory in Russia. He also won four Serie A titles during his first stint at Juventus. However, his return to the club in 2022 was marred by injuries and off-field issues, including an alleged extortion attempt involving his brother Mathias.Pogba's return to football will be a welcome boost for Juventus and the French national team. His experience, skill, and leadership will be invaluable as they aim for success in the upcoming seasons.

Monaco ascended to the summit of the Ligue 1 standings on Saturday, securing a 2-1 triumph over Rennes away from home. This victory propelled them three points ahead of defending champions Paris Saint-Germain.Thilo Kehrer and Folarin Balogun found the back of the net for the principality side, propelling them to 19 points. PSG, currently on 16 points with a superior goal difference, will have the opportunity to reclaim the top spot when they face Nice on Sunday."After seven games, we have 19 points. That's the reality and the truth, and we're really happy about that," remarked Monaco coach Adi Huetter.However, he cautioned, "The championship is not a 100-meter sprint, it's a 400-meter race, and we've started very well."Monaco's match in Brittany, played under rainy conditions, was decided early in the first half. Kehrer opened the scoring before Ludovic Blas equalized, and Balogun then netted the winner, all within the first 22 minutes.Monaco youngster Eliesse Ben Seghir, continuing his impressive start to the season, played a pivotal role in both of his side's goals. His corner in the sixth minute found Kehrer's head, who nodded it past the goalkeeper despite a defender's attempt to clear it off the line.Blas restored parity for Rennes five minutes later with a thunderous left-footed strike from over 35 yards that flew past Philipp Koehn.However, Balogun sealed the points for Huetter's side when he chipped the ball over an advancing Steve Mandanda in the 22nd minute after a defense-splitting pass from Ben Seghir.Earlier on Saturday, Lille moved up to fourth place, coming from behind to secure a home victory against lowly Toulouse. Zakaria Aboukhlal gave the 16th-placed side a surprise lead six minutes before halftime, but former Manchester United playmaker Angel Gomes equalized for Lille on 57 minutes. Mitchel Bakker secured the win for Lille in the 72nd minute, rounding off a swift counter-attack.A hat-trick from Zuriko Davitashvili propelled Saint-Etienne out of the relegation zone as they defeated Auxerre 3-1 at home. The Georgian opened the scoring in the 15th minute with a powerful finish after carrying the ball 40 yards into the visitors' penalty area. He added his second on 54 minutes after cutting in from the left flank and firing with his right foot. Theo Bair halved the deficit with 15 minutes remaining, but Davitashvili completed his triple with a dinked finish on 87 minutes.On Sunday, Lyon will host Nantes, while Reims and Lens will also be in action, before PSG travel to ninth-placed Nice.

Marseille's resurgence under Roberto De Zerbi hit a roadblock on Sunday as they succumbed to a 1-0 defeat at Strasbourg. Diego Moreira's first-half strike condemned Marseille to their first loss of the season, preventing them from joining Paris Saint-Germain and Monaco at the top of Ligue 1.Despite Marseille's dominance in possession, Strasbourg's resolute defense held firm. Moreira's clinical finish just before the break proved decisive, as Marseille failed to find an equalizer despite several chances.Meanwhile, Lyon snatched a dramatic 2-1 victory at Toulouse thanks to a 95th-minute winner from Malick Fofana. Yann Gboho had given Toulouse an early lead, but Lyon fought back with an own goal from Rasmus Nicolaisen and Fofana's late heroics.Reims continued their impressive start to the season with a 3-1 away win over Angers. Keito Nakamura and Junya Ito gave Reims a commanding lead within the first 25 minutes, and Marshall Munetsi sealed the victory in the second half. Angers remain rooted to the bottom of the table, the only team yet to win a match.Saint-Etienne earned a valuable away point against Nantes, thanks to a second-half brace from Ibrahim Sissoko. Johann Lepenant and Sorba Thomas had given Nantes a 2-0 lead, but Sissoko's goals in the 57th and 67th minutes secured a draw for the promoted side.

Marseille's resilience shone through as they snatched a dramatic 3-2 victory over Lyon in a pulsating 'Olympico' derby on Sunday. Despite being reduced to 10 men early on, Roberto De Zerbi's side rallied to secure a crucial win that propelled them to second place in Ligue 1.The match erupted into chaos from the outset, with Marseille captain Leonardo Balerdi receiving a red card within five minutes for a reckless challenge. Lyon capitalized on their numerical advantage, with former Marseille defender Duje Caleta-Car heading them into the lead. However, Marseille refused to be deterred. Pol Lirola equalized in the 69th minute, and Ulisses Garcia gave them the lead with just eight minutes remaining.Lyon appeared to have salvaged a point when Rayan Cherki scored in the third minute of added time. But Marseille had the final say. Jonathan Rowe, who had come on as a substitute, drove forward from the left wing, beat two defenders, and unleashed a thunderous shot that flew past Lyon goalkeeper Lucas Perri.The victory was a testament to Marseille's character and determination. Despite being a man down, they never gave up and fought back valiantly. De Zerbi praised his team's spirit, saying, "We dedicate this victory to Balerdi. He made a mistake, but we don't abandon him."Meanwhile, Monaco maintained their unbeaten start to the season with a 3-1 victory over Le Havre. Jordan Teze gave Monaco an early lead, but Daler Kuzyaev equalized for Le Havre. Eliesse Ben Seghir and Folarin Balogun scored in quick succession in the second half to secure the win for Monaco.

Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) extended their lead atop Ligue 1 to two points with a convincing 3-1 victory over Lille on Sunday. The defending champions faced their toughest test of the season so far but emerged victorious, showcasing their dominance in the French league.PSG took the lead in the first half through a penalty converted by Vitinha. Bradley Barcola doubled their advantage with a well-executed goal, assisted by Marco Asensio. Lille fought back in the second half, with Edon Zhegrova pulling one back to give the home crowd hope. However, Randal Kolo Muani's stoppage-time header sealed the win for PSG.Despite the absence of Kylian Mbappe, PSG have started the season in impressive fashion, winning all three of their matches and scoring 13 goals in the process. Their Spanish coach, Luis Enrique, praised his team's performance, calling it "magnificent."Lille, on the other hand, were left to rue their missed opportunities, particularly a disallowed goal by Tiago Santos due to a marginal offside call. Coach Bruno Genesio acknowledged the high level of competition in the Champions League, where mistakes can prove costly.PSG's victory sets them up for a strong start to their Champions League campaign, which begins in mid-September. They will face Girona, Arsenal, and Manchester City, among others, in the group stage. Lille, meanwhile, will host Real Madrid and Juventus in the coming weeks.Other notable results from Ligue 1's weekend fixtures include Marseille's 3-1 win over Toulouse, Nantes' victory by the same scoreline at Montpellier, and Monaco's 1-1 draw with Lens. Nice claimed their first win of the season with a 4-1 triumph at Angers, while Le Havre and Reims both secured victories in their respective matches.

Mason Greenwood's blistering start to his Marseille career continued on Saturday as the former Manchester United striker fired two goals in a minute to propel his new club to a 3-1 victory over Toulouse. The 22-year-old, who has now scored five goals in three games for Marseille, pounced on a loose ball in the 16th minute and added a second a minute later to give the visitors a commanding lead.Greenwood's goals came after a promising start for Toulouse, who had created several chances in the opening minutes. However, the hosts' hopes were dealt a blow when forward Frank Magri was sent off for a foul on Geoffrey Kondogbia in the 27th minute.Marseille took full advantage of their numerical superiority, with Brazilian forward Luis Henrique providing the assists for both of Greenwood's goals. Henrique thought he had scored himself seven minutes into the second half, but the goal was later awarded as an own goal to Charlie Cresswell.Toulouse managed to find some consolation just before the end when Gabon striker Shavy Babicka slotted home a through ball from Djibril Sidibe. However, it was too little too late for the hosts, who remain winless after three games.Marseille coach Roberto De Zerbi praised his team's performance in the first half but admitted that they need to improve their speed and mentality. "We had a good first half, scoring two goals," De Zerbi told DAZN after the match. "It gave us an advantage to have an extra player and we relied on our strength in one-on-ones, particularly Greenwood, to score the brace.""We still need to improve the speed and mentality of this team. We shouldn't have conceded the goal, should have won 3-0."Marseille's victory takes them to the top of the Ligue 1 table with seven points, level with Nantes who won 3-1 away at Montpellier. Reigning champions Paris Saint-Germain, who have six points, can go top of the table with victory at Lille on Sunday.