Ligue 2 Review #8: Clermont dominate Guingamp, Metz & Lorient win

FC Metz 3-2 Amiens: Gauthier Hein brace fires Metz past Amiens

FC Metz recorded their fourth win of the season in a five-goal thriller that saw Gauthier Hein score a first-half brace. Metz's returning summer recruit opened the scoring with a low strike just inside the box (15') after being served by Candé's low cross from the right. Cheick Sabaly would then get in on the action to double Metz's advantage, latching onto a horrific ball played out the back by Amiens goalkeeper Régis Gurtner and then simply finishing deftly over the Frenchman (21').

Hein would grab his second of the game before half-time with a lovely finish after cutting inside the box (43'). Amiens got on the scoresheet shortly after via Antoine Leautey to give Les Licornes a chance of getting back into the game (45+2') before Kylian Kaïboué's second-half header (76') threatened a late comeback.

Paris FC 1-0 Laval MFC: Late Hamel strike sees PFC win three on the bounce

Following up on last weekend's derby win over Red Star FC (1-3), Stéphan Gilli's men edged out Laval at Stade Charléty to keep their two point cushion at the top of the Ligue 2 table. Whilst Maxime Lopez and Nouha Dicko tested Laval keeper Mamadou Samassa either side of half time it would take a late finish from inside the box from Hamel to seal all three points for Les Parisiens (83'). It's now a third consecutive win on the bounce for Paris FC, who continue to set the pace at the top of the Ligue 2 BKT table.

Clermont 4-1 Guingamp: Les Lanciers thrash Guingamp in surprise win 

Clermont Foot completed a surprise win over Guingamp with goals from Yohann Magnin, Famara Diedhiou, and a brace from Ousmane Diop sealing Les Lanciers' second win of the season against a promotion-chasing Guingamp side. Amadou Sagna provided a consolation effort in the 88th minute, but L'EAG certainly travelled back to Brittany with their tails between their legs after dropping to 7th in the table. After losing out to Grenoble,  Dunkerque, and Amiens in recent matches, Sébastien Bichard 's Clermont side got back to winning ways as they sit 13th in the table ahead of the second international break.

Elsewhere in Ligue 2 BKT: 

• FC Lorient climbed into the promotion spots with a win at Stade Michel d'Ornano, coming from behind thanks to goals from Eli Junior Kroupi (35') and Mohamed Bamba (87') to win 2-1.
• Dunkerque overcame 18th-placed Troyes with a 2-1 win at home, as goals from Sangante (53') and Bammou (64') cancelled out Rafiki Saïd's opener for Troyes (43').
• Despite top scorer Pape Meïssa Ba getting on the scoresheet (44'), Grenoble fell to a Rodez side that recorded their second win of the season thanks to a stunning freekick from Bouchouari (54') and a goal from Noah Cadiou (81'). 
• Hamjatou Soukouna's late goal (84') saw Annecy seal their third win in five games against struggling Red Star FC - the side from the Alps moved into the play-off positions.
• In the two delayed games, Ajaccio shared the points with Martigues in a 1-1 draw, whilst Pau and SC Bastia played to a goalless 0-0.

READ MORE: 

>>Ligue 2 Review #7: Paris FC win derby to go top, Grenoble dominant against Clermont

>>Ligue 2 Review #6: Metz hit six against Martigues to take top spot, and more!

>>Ligue 2 Review #5: Bastia top the league! Grenoble win big at Martigues

>>The 2024-2025 Ligue 2 BKT Season Preview