Multiplex: Le Havre, Rennes, & AJA Secure Wins
Auxerre 1-0 Montpellier
Montepellier needed to secure all three points as they're fighting to avoid direct relegation this season. After a scoreless first half at Stade de l'Abbé-Deschamps, MHSC was minutes away from at least leaving one point from this road contest, but the home side had other plans.
In the 82nd minute, Florian Ayé found the net just minutes after coming off the bench. Ki-Jana Hoever set him up with a perfect pass, and he calmly slotted it in from close range.
That goal from Ayé was all AJA needed to secure the victory and keep themselves firmly slotted in the middle of the Ligue 1 McDonald's table. It was a devastating result for Montpellier, who received even more bad news during this multiplex slot considering the result that Le Havre pulled off.
Le Havre 3-2 FC Nantes
It was a back-and-forth affair between Le Havre and Nantes at Stade Océane. Abdoulaye Touré opened the scoring in the 13th minute on a penalty kick after Saïdou Sow's handball on a shot from André Ayew.
Le Havre's lead wouldn't last long as 10 minutes later as Sow redeemed himself for committing the handball that led to the home side's goal. Nicolas Pallois delivered a perfect cross, and Sow finished it with a flawless header.
The contest didn't stay leveled at one-all for long as Le Havre again took the lead via another penalty kick. After conceding the first penalty and scoring the equalizer, Sow committed his second penalty of the match as Touré converted the shot for his brace.
Both sides went into halftime with the Le Club Doyen up 2-1, but coming out of the break, Nantes leveled the match again thanks to a goal from Moses Simon in the 48th minute.
Matthis Abline made a low cross for the Nigerian, who struck without control and allowed the Nantes players to equalize for the second time in this match. The match looked like it was heading toward a draw, but Le Havre found a hero in Timothée Pembélé.
Anthony Lopes saved Ahmed Hassan's shot, but the Le Havre defender was quick to follow up, putting HAC ahead in the 88th minute and securing the 3-2 win.
Stade Rennais 3-0 Angers
Arnaud Kalimuendo opened the scoring in the 13th minute with the Rennes forward finishing off a perfectly built play. The contest remained 1-0 at Stade Raymond Kopa as the two sides went into the break, but the visitors would be adding to their lead.
Midway through the second half, Habib Beye and his team added the crucial insurance goal in the 70th minute. Ismaël Koné blasted a powerful right-to-left shot into the top corner of Angers' goal, scoring his first Ligue 1 McDonald's goal and giving Rennes a two-goal lead.
Kalimuendo added the squad's third goal in the second half stoppage time. Rennes struck on the counterattack with Kalimuendo securing a brace after a close-range shot from a great cross by Koné.
The Stat: 5
Rennes have won five of their eight matches under Beye in Ligue 1 McDonald's, the same number as they did in their first 19 games in the top flight this season, which included two draws and 12 losses.
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