Ligue 1, Matchday 2: Every Big Side Struggles As Lille Lose, All Of Lyon, OM, PSG Draw

Lille 0 Montpellier 1

Lille had 61% possession, 20 shots, 6 on goal, and 7 corners. Montpellier had 9, 3 and 0 respectively. Montpellier though, had the number that mattered at the end of the match, with striker Oliver Giroud scoring the game’s solitary goal. As the numbers indicate, Lille dominated the match, with Montpellier’s backup keeper Laurent Pionnier keeping out Moussa Sow early. Lille also had two penalty claims turned down; Montpellier were very lucky to get away with one, when Eden Hazard was taken down in the area. Lillie continued to attack Pionnier’s goal, but despite the best efforts of Sow, Hazard and Ludovic Obraniak, they couldn’t find a way past the Montpellier ‘keeper. Jamel Saihi’s excellent long pass broke the Lille offside trap, making it easy for Giroud to to slot past Mikael Landreau and give Montpellier the lead in the 70th minute. Lille continued to push forward, and former Portsmouth “striker” John Utaka could’ve settled the match for Montpellier when he broke clean through, but his effort hit the post. No matter for Montpellier though; La Paillade held on for the shock 1-0 victory.

The favorites struggled to get wins on Saturday in Ligue 1 action. Paris Saint-Germain couldn’t win for the second straight match to start the season and despite having gotten results from both matches, there is no way they can be happy with their play thus far. For all the money they have splashed around they look downright dull and without any sort of creativity in the attack. That supposed run to a Ligue 1 title looks like a bit of a stretch right now no matter how much money they have spent.

It wasn’t a particular pretty day anywhere in France with four of the seven matches ending in draws. That includes Olympique Lyonnais, who could only take one point at the Stade Gerland against newly-promoted AC Ajaccio. Toulouse, Caen and St. Etienne were the three winners on the day with all three picking up their sixth point in two matches.

Time: 17:00 CET/1:00 PM EST

In beating PSG 1-0 at Parc des Princes on opening day of the Ligue 1 season, Lorient didn’t just pick up three very unexpected points to get their season off to a strong start; they also won a victory for alternative fuel sources. Farmers throughout the grain belt proudly painted large cod on the sides of their tractors, while environmental engineers proudly covered their algae-filled work spaces with orange and black regalia. Hippies throughout America cried a single tear and looked towards the heavens in awe while filling their 1984 VW Rabbit conversions with was so recently used cooking oil. Finally, there is hope for a better tomorrow.