Multiplex Recap: Brest Soar, Reims Sink Montpellier, Strasbourg & Lens Share the Spoils
Match Reports
Brest 2-0 Le Havre: Ajorque Leads Brest to Victory
After their Champions League triumph midweek against Salzberg, Brest followed up with a 2-0 victory over Le Havre. Ludovic Ajorque opened the scoring in the first half, converting a cross from Mama Baldé with a clinical finish (13'). Le Havre struggled to recover, particularly after Étienne Youté received a straight red card early in the second half (48’) for a rash challenge on Baldé.
Despite going down to 10 men, Le Havre pushed forward but lacked a certain amount of precision in front of goal. Brest had a man sent off too, with Haidara seeing red in the 73rd minute, but they held on. In stoppage time, Jérémy Le Douaron played in Salah, who smashed the ball home (90+4’) to seal the win.
THE STAT: IS HE BACK FOR GOOD?
Ludovic Ajorque has scored as many goals with Brest in seven appearances in Ligue 1 2024/25 (2) as in his 26 games with Mainz in the Bundesliga last season.
Reims 4-2 Montpellier: Reims Pile Pressure on Der Zakarian
Reims extended Montpellier’s misery with a thrilling 4-2 win, led by a dominant performance from their attack. Marshall Munetsi opened the scoring with a header in the 5th minute, followed by a stunning strike from Keito Nakamura to make it 2-0. Montpellier responded through Arnaud Nordin, who pulled one back with a powerful shot from distance (37’).
Reims restored their two-goal lead in the 55th minute when Mohamed Diakité scored with a header from a Nakamura cross. Montpellier showed signs of life late on, with Nordin scoring again (90’) to bring the score to 3-2. However, a handball from Sacko resulted in a penalty, which Teddy Teuma coolly converted in stoppage time (90+3’).
Montpellier manager Michel Der Zakarian was furious with his side’s lack of defensive discipline in his post-match reaction, warning that "if you don’t defend, you’ll end up in Ligue 2."
THE STAT: THE FEAR OF FOUR
Montpellier have lost their first four away games of a Ligue 1 season for the first time since their first campaign in the top-flight in 1981-192, a season MHSC finished last.
Strasbourg 2-2 Lens: Diarra Saves Strasbourg in a Thrilling Draw
Strasbourg and Lens played out a 2-2 draw in an intense match at the Stade de la Meinau. Lens took an early lead through Nzola (7’), but Strasbourg fought back, with Sylla heading in an equaliser from a corner (19’). Just before halftime, Angelo Diouf capitalised on a defensive mistake to restore Lens’ lead (45’).
Strasbourg came back into the match in the second half. After a Lens foul in the box, Habib Diarra calmly converted a penalty (60’) to level the score. Lens pressed hard for a winner but couldn’t find a way past Petrovic, and the game ended with honours even.
STAT: FIVE ON THE BOUNCE
Lens have drawn each of their last five Ligue 1 games, a first in the top-flight since Rennes in August-September 2023 (also 5) and their longest such run since August-October 2005 (7). No other team count more draws than Sang et Or in the European Top 5 leagues this season.
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