Roundup: RCSA back to winning ways and more
Catch up on Sunday's first three Ligue 1 McDonald's matches as we round up the action from Strasbourg, Nantes and Rennes.
RC Strasbourg 2-1 FC Metz
Despite key absences in the form of Mamadou Sarr and Emanuel Emegha, Gary O'Neil continued his strong start to life in Strasbourg. Following on from the team's big Coupe de France win at the weekend, the hosts won the Derby de l'Est 2-1 in a match played at a breathless tempo. Following an end-to-end start with both teams fashioning good chances, Diego Moreira broke the deadlock on 12 minutes, lashing home after a fine ball over the top by Julio Enciso.
The hosts' joy soon soured, though, as Metz won a penalty ten minutes later, for a seemingly innocuous foul by Martial Godo. Grenats captain Gauthier Hein converted and it was all square. From there, Strasbourg tried to push the initiative and they were finally rewarded on the stroke of halftime as Godo redeemed himself with a back-post header (43'). With the win, Racing climb back into seventh place, while Metz remain bottom.
Diego Moreira 🇧🇪
What a baller ✨ pic.twitter.com/dSC19XTSyB— Ligue 1 English (@Ligue1_ENG) January 18, 2026
FC Nantes 1-2 Paris FC
Building on their derby win over PSG in the Coupe de France, Paris FC got a much-needed win on the road against FC Nantes. Top scorer Ilan Kebbal (7 goals) found the net for the visitors with just seven minutes on the clock, holding off two defenders to find the bottom corner, giving PFC a lead they would hold until the break. After the break, Nantes' own top scorer, Matthis Abline, would level the contest with a powerful shot into the roof of the net. It was Paris FC who would have the last word, though, as January signing Luca Koleosho scoring unmarked at the back post after Nantes had struggled to clear the ball. With the victory, Paris FC are now seven points clear of the drop, while Nantes remain in the playoff place.
Stade Rennais 1-1 AC Le Havre
Finally, it was honors even at Roazhon Park between the hosts and Le Havre, as Le Club Doyenne put a surprising dent in Rennes' Champions League ambitions. In a terse affair, Le Havre 'keeper Lionel Mpasi kept the Bretons at bay before Felix Mambimbi's deflected effort wrong-footed Brice Samba (69'). Rennes would push hard for an equalizer and finally found one through Breel Embolo (86'), getting a point that allowed them to provisionally leapfrog Lyon.
