a promoted Toulouse well acclimatized to the elite, heatstroke on the lawns and muzzled Mastiffs

After the festival of goals on the first day of the championship, the Ligue 1 clubs again shook the nets on many occasions on this second day, which started on Friday August 12. If the goalkeeper Alban Lafont has long delayed the deadline for Nantes against Lille, the attackers of the various formations of the elite have been prolific, starting with those of PSG, winner (5-2) against Montpellier.

Read also: Ligue 1: Olympique Lyonnais bets on its former glories to find the heights

The Clermontois, stung by their heavy defeat (0-5) against the Parisians on the first day, in turn made their offensive power speak to overthrow Stade de Reims (2-4), but the perfect copy is signed by the promoted Toulouse, who leaves with 3 points and no goals conceded from his trip to Troyes (0-3).

• The hot whistle of the weekend: that of Johan Hamel

If he was hoping for a quiet Reims-Clermont (2-4) meeting, referee Johan Hamel probably quickly understood that this would not be the case on Sunday. In the first half, his decisions made the happiness of the Rémois, to whom he awarded two penalties transformed into power by Kamory Doumbia (23^e) and by Folarin Balogun (29^e). But the Clermont supporters probably didn’t want Johan Hamel for long.

The second half had hardly started when the referee had already logically excluded defender Emmanuel Agbadou for a foul in the position of last defender (47^e) and allowed Komnen Andric to reduce the mark… on penalty (52^e). Fortunately for the show, the end of the match was not only a question of refereeing decisions but rather of magnificent goals, finally allowing Clermont to overturn the match to win 4 to 2. And Johan Hamel to distribute in seven cards (and even eight with the warning given to the Reims coach, Oscar Garcia)!

• The perfect copy of the weekend: and one, and two, and Troyes-zero for Toulouse

Philippe Montanier would probably have signed with both hands for such a result before the meeting. In Troyes, the Toulousains won their first success since their return to the top flight by winning widely and without taking a goal (3 to 0). After the draw obtained against Nice last week, the Violets continue to collect points when other competitors presumed to maintain (Reims, Auxerre… or Troyes) are stalling for the moment.

More than the victory, the Toulousains highlighted the executives of their title in Ligue 2. The captain, Brecht Dejaegere, first forced Yasser Larouci to open the scoring against his side (36^e). A few minutes after a second achievement by Rafael Ratao (53^e), this time it was the top scorer of the last Ligue 2 season, Rhys Healey, who topped up the addition from the left (85^e). Three points, a defense that holds and solid pillars. In short, all is well in the Pink City.

Read also: Ligue 1: PSG in demonstration against Montpellier, frustrating return for Kylian Mbappé

• The wall of the weekend: Alban Lafont disgusts LOSC

If Nantes held Lille at the start of the second day of the championship (1-1), the Canaries can greatly thank their goalkeeper, Alban Lafont. Impeccable in his aerial interventions, precise in his defensive clearances, he distinguished himself above all by parades in front of Jonathan Bamba (34^e) and Rémy Cabella, twice (56^e and 58^e). In the mixed zone, the latter underlined the good performance of the Nantes goalkeeper: “ On his qualities, he deserves the France team. There are good seasons. It’s a monster. I congratulate him. »

🥵🥵 ➕1️⃣ https://t.co/xdSNIJb9O3

— Alban Lafont (@Alban Lafont)

Canaris coach Antoine Kombouaré also admitted that without his goalkeeper, FC Nantes could have been beaten at home: ” In the second half, we were in difficulty, in great difficulty. It took a big Alban to make a few parries. » The Nantes people were indeed dominated by the Mastiffs, who deprived them of the ball with nearly 70% possession of the ball. And if he postponed the deadline, Alban Lafont finally gave in to Ismaily, a Lille rookie from Shakhtar Donetsk, who responded to Moses Simon’s opener.

• The doormat of the weekend: the lawn of the Moustoir stadium

Were you thinking of having lunch before the 1 p.m. match on Sunday? Magnifying glass. The meeting between Lorient and Lyon has been postponed to a date still unknown, due to the very poor condition of the lawn at the Moustoir stadium. In question, the Interceltic Festival of Lorient, which was held on this lawn and considerably degraded it. Covered, the grass suffered from the scorching heat and the pitch was deemed impassable by the Professional Football League (LFP).

The lawn of the Moustoir stadium before hosting OL this Sunday at 1 p.m. https://t.co/ku3822urGj

— Inside Gones (@Inside Gones)

On Twitter, the president of FC Lorient, Loïc Féry, questioned Olympique Lyonnais (OL) in this postponement decision: “Under pressure from Olympique Lyonnais, who threatened the LFP with claims for damages in the event of injury, the Competitions Committee unfortunately preferred to postpone this match. » A press release to which Jean-Michel Aulas hastened to respond, ensuring that his club had exerted no pressure on the League. “Even the most optimistic of gardeners knew from the start of the heat wave that this land could never have endured six days of festivities”he added.

The lawn of the François-Coty stadium in Ajaccio could also have claimed this title of “doormat of the weekend”, or rather of “field of potatoes of the weekend”, during the reception of Lens (0-0) . While it was changed this summer, the lawn is suffering from a fungus.

The lawn of the François Coty stadium… 😭 #ACATFC https://t.co/7J46ZfZNPA

— FreeLigue1 (@Free Ligue 1)

Hortense LeBlanc and Valentin Moinard