Ligue 1 strugglers Angers claim first win since September

Marooned at the bottom of France’s top flight, Angers claimed their first Ligue 1 win since September as they beat European hopefuls Lille 1-0 yesterday. Bosnian full-back Halid Sabanovic, on as a substitute, scrambled in the only goal of the match with six minutes left at the Stade Raymond Kopa, following in to score after Lille goalkeeper Lucas Chevalier had saved from Adrien Hunou.
The result allows Angers to end a run of 21 matches without a win, in which they had picked up just three points.
That means they will not match the French top-flight record for the most games without a win in a single season – that record is held by Arles-Avignon who went 23 matches without a victory in 2010/11.
They nevertheless remain seven points adrift at the bottom of the table and 12 away from safety with only eight games to play. On their third coach of the season, Angers have been in seemingly endless turbulence off the pitch.
Angers owner Said Chabane recently quit as club president after being placed under investigation for sexual assault. He also now faces trial in a money laundering affair. In addition, Angers’ Algerian international Ilyes Chetti was this week handed a four-month suspended sentence for sexual assault.
It is a desperately disappointing result for Lille, who began the day in fifth place but were denied on several occasions by fine saves from home goalkeeper Paul Bernardoni. Meanwhile Jonathan David, the Canada striker who is Ligue 1’s joint top scorer this season on 19 goals alongside Paris Saint-Germain superstar Kylian Mbappe, had an off-day in attack.

Lens beat Strasbourg to keep pressure on PSG
On Friday, Lens claimed their fourth straight win with a 2-1 victory over Strasbourg to close the gap on leaders Paris Saint-Germain to just three points. The northeners have 63 points and are second behind PSG who were travelling to Nice late last night after back-to-back defeats.
Marseille are third, three points behind Lens with Monaco a further three points adrift in fourth before those clubs visit Lorient and Nantes respectively today. After a rough start against their relegation-threatened rivals, Lens found a way through thanks to an impressive move concluded by Polish winger Przemyslaw Frankowski in the 11th minute.
Frankowski latched onto a pass from former Strasbourg midfielder Adrien Thomasson, with the goal initially refused as offside but validated after a VAR viewing. Strasbourg lacked sharpness on their rare chances in front of goal with Lens adding a second in the 65th minute thanks to Facundo Medina’s low deflected shot.
The side from Alsace pulled a goal back with five minutes to go with a curling Kevin Gameiro effort catching Brice Samba napping in the Lens goal.
The visitors chased the equaliser but instead finished a man down after Habib Diallo was sent off in injury time. Lens held on to win their 13th out of 15 home league games, more than any team in the top five European leagues. Strasbourg could finish the weekend back in the relegation zone as they sit 16th, equal on 26 points with Auxerre who travel to fellow relegation candidates Ajaccio today.