Lille remained hot on the heels of the Ligue 1 leaders after welcoming 2025 with a disappointing 1-1 home draw against Nantes on Saturday, while only a last-minute own goal saved Lyon’s blushes against bottom club Montpellier. Remy Cabella took advantage of one of the few opportunities in a monotonous match in Lille to give the hosts control as half-time approached. But any hope of overtaking third-placed Monaco was dashed when 21-year-old striker Matthis Abline scored the equalizer in the 70th minute with a penalty.
“We were just not good enough in all aspects,” Lille coach Bruno Genesio commented candidly.
After dropping two points in December against another team far below them, Montpellier, Genesio said: “It is these types of games that leave us with the feeling of having unfinished business.
“We have very little margin, we have to be totally focused.”
Saint-Etienne shook off any lingering post-festive blues to claim a 3-1 victory over visiting mid-table Reims.
Saint-Etienne had to come from behind to reverse a four-game losing streak, with a brace from Augustine Boakye giving new coach Eirik Horneland his first victory at the Geoffroy-Guichard stadium.
In Saturday’s final match, Lyon thought any title aspirations they still harbored had been dented by a struggling Montpellier, but Khalil Fayad’s own goal in the first minute of stoppage time broke the visiting team’s hearts and It put Lyon two points behind third-placed Monaco.
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