Week Of October 24 - November 6

SCORES
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UEFA Champions League

October 31

Liverpool 3-0 Bordeaux

November 1

Lyon 1-0 Dynamo Kiev
AEK Athens 1-0 Lille

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UEFA Cup

November 2

Lens 3-1 Ocasuna
Nancy 2-1 Wisla Krakow

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Ligue 1

November 4

Rennes 1-0 Lyon
Auxerre 2-3 Le Mans
Marseille 0-1 Lorient
Monaco 0-0 Nice
St. Etienne 3-0 Toulouse
Sedan 1-1 Nantes
Sochaux 1-0 Troyes
Valenciennes 0-3 Lille

November 5

Nancy 2-1 Bordeaux
PSG 1-3 Lens

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In the Champions League this week Bordeaux desperately needed a result against Liverpool at Anfield. The visitors had been unable to score a goal in 3 European fixtures, and continued that trend with Pepe Reina keeping a clean sheet at Anfield, and with Bordeaux never really mounting a serious challenge. Luis Garcia scored twice and Steven Gerrard once. The Girondins were reduced to ten men after Menegazzo headbutted John Arne Riise in the 67th minute. Bordeaux will need results in their next two matches if they want to qualify for the UEFA cup by finishing third in the group. Liverpool joins PSV in automatically qualifying for the Round of 16 out of Group C.

Gerard Houllier’s side turned in another fine performance at the Stade Gerland, beating Dynamo Kiev 1-0. Lyon has not yet conceded a goal in this year’s Champions League competition. The depth in the Lyon squad was in evidence as young striker Karim Benzema stepped firmly into the boots of the injured Fred, scoring the only goal of the match in the 14th minute. Kiev played a brilliant match though, missing several key chances yet keeping the home side to one goal.

A late goal from Nikos Lyberopoulos secured AEK Athens their first ever UEFA Champions league victory. Lille defender Efstathios Tavlaridis was sent off at 22 minutes, and the visitors held on bravely for 50 minutes before the home side struck. The loss puts Lille in a more tenuous place in Group H, as they hold only a one point lead over Athens in the second place position.

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In UEFA Cup action Lens improved their form with a huge home win over Spanish side Ocasuna. Aruna Dindane had a superb game with a goal and created a penalty opportunity which was converted by Daniel Cousin. Ocasuna got one back from Valdo as the second half began, but Lens held on for a 3-1 victory.

Nancy’s home stand against Wisla Krakow was eventful with two goals for the home side coming from Pascal Berenguer, which was enough to secure them the win. Wisla’s Paweł Brożek tied things up at the half-hour mark, but things went downhill as Varga was sent off for the visitors in the second half. Final score, 2-1.

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The early game Saturday was an important one for both teams involved. Lyon looked to get their tenth Ligue 1 win, and Rennes desperately needed a result to keep from slipping any further in the table. Rennes cranked Lyon 4-1 at the Gerland last season, and the visitors weren’t about to take their opposition lightly. The Galettes absolutely dominated the first half, keeping possession and outpacing the visitors. The goal eventually came from Mbia off a corner in the 13th minute. Lyon came out flying in the second half, missing more than a few good chances on goal, but Rennes keeper Pouplin was man of the match, making several spectacular saves. A frustrated Lyon side began to pile on the fouls which eventually culminated in Juninho being sent off for a vicious elbow to Romain Danze’s face which left him bloody. Struggling with ten men, Lyon appeared to equalize in the 95th minute, but the goal was called on the offside. Rennes got a well-deserved win at the Orient Road, beating the one team that they wouldn’t have been expected to beat.

The Stade Abbe Deschamps was the venue as Le Mans came into Auxerre needing a confidence boost, the month of October having been unkind to them with three draws and two losses. The home side had also been struggling, sitting in 14th in the table. The visitors opened the scoring early in the first half with Ismael Bangoura converting a corner. Kanga Akale brought things level in the second half before penalties at either end of the park in the 79th and 80th minutes made it 2-2. Benzema completed a hat trick in injury time to give Le Mans the last-minute win.

Marseille hosted the lads from Lorient with both teams on a bit of a poor run. Marseille needed a win badly to even pretend to mount a challenge to Lyon. Lyon’s loss earlier in the day gave them the opportunity to close the gap to 8 points. The home side has been in the press after an unruly fan threw an incendiary device onto the field which blew off a fireman’s hand. An uneventful first half was followed directly by a Lorient goal from Andre-Pierre Gignac, putting the visitors in the driver’s seat. Lorient held on for the win giving AS Nancy the chance to leapfrog Marseille into the coveted second place spot.

The Riviera derby continued Saturday with troubled club AS Monaco meeting local rivals Nice. Both teams were struggling with Monaco holding up the bottom of the table and Nice in 17th just out of the relegation zone. Neither team was able to improve on their current form, however, with the match ending nil-nil, and Monaco continues to sit in 20th spot.

New coach Jose Pasqualetti made his first appearance with Sedan against bottom-feeding Nantes who were without some key players due to injuries and punishments. The best either team could do was play to a nil-nil draw, meaning all the teams in the relegation zone stay there this week.

16th place Troyes travelled to Sochaux on a high after a 3-1 victory over St. Etienne the week before. It was Troyes’ first good result in four matches, and lifted them up above relegation position. Sochaux came in with a more favorable table position but weren’t about to discount the threat that the visitors posed. Troyes were unable to convert a penalty late in the first half which proved to be their undoing, as Sochaux pounced late in the game with a goal from Guirane N’Daw. Final score: 1-0.

St. Etienne hosted Toulouse with the visitors in fine form and in fifth place. The home side was coming off a very poor showing against lowly Troyes the week before. St. Etienne made up for last week’s drubbing by pounding in three goals and keeping a clean sheet in the process. The loss was costly for Toulouse as they moved down the table to 8th and St. Etienne claimed their 5th place spot.

Valenciennes has made the Stade Nungesser a fortress this season with a record of four wins and a draw, but can’t seem to manage a result on the road. Lille had a tough trip to Athens over the week which resulted in them compromising their position in the Champions league. Unfortunately for the home side their form was to end, as a revitalized Lille team beat them 3-0. Fauvergue, Odemwingie, and Cabaye provided goals for the visitors, who turned in a dominating performance.

Sunday saw Nancy meet Bordeaux in a clash that the home side needed to win if they wanted to continue to battle for the Championship. Lyon praised Nancy after last week’s match as the toughest team they’ve met so far in this year’s campaign. Bordeaux had a tough week with a 3-0 loss to Liverpool which put an end to any Champions League aspirations they may have had. Now they need to focus on their league form if they want to compete continentally next season. Nancy scored first early in the first half on a goal from Sebastien Puygrenier, followed quickly by a goal from Bordeaux’ leading scorer Jean-Claude Darcheville. Bordeaux looked to move up a few times before giving away a penalty which was converted in the 55th minute by Moncaf Zerka. Nancy’s season continues to roll on well with fading Bordeaux moving down to 9th in the table.

PSG and Lens were both in fine form coming into their match at the Parc des Princes Sunday. PSG striker Pauleta is unavailable for two matches after being red carded in the match against Rennes last week, and subsequently being found guilty to insulting the Assistant Referee. Lens won their fixture with Auxerre last week, and handily beat Ocasuna midweek in UEFA Cup action. PSG dominated the play in the first half with Sylvain Armand blasting a shot past Lens keeper Charles Itandje, but a changed Lens side came out after the break, popping in three goals before the final whistle. Daniel Cousin scored two and Olivier Thomert one, and the visitors moved themselves into an impressive 4th in the table.