Nancy secure stalemate
Last Updated: October 21, 2012 12:11am
David Sauget reacts to Sochaux's goal
Ten-man Nancy ended their abysmal run of form but were pegged back by Sebastien Roudet's second-half strike in their 1-1 draw with fellow Ligue 1 strugglers Sochaux.
Jean Fernandez's side had lost their last six matches but made an ideal start tonight, with Sebastien Puygrenier opening the scoring with the first chance of the match in the 13th minute.
Yet Sochaux dominated thereafter and Roudet's leveller 10 minutes after the interval was richly deserved before Djamel Bakar was dismissed on the hour mark for a rash lunge on Ryad Boudebouz.
Sloan Privat nearly sealed victory for the visitors late on but his strike cannoned off the crossbar to ensure Nancy claimed their first point in seven matches.
They remain second from bottom with just five points from nine games while tonight's opponents occupy the final relegation place.
Fernandez admitted in the build-up that Nancy's run was "a lot to deal with mentally" but they made the perfect start tonight.
Yohann Mollo's corner was met by Puygrenier, whose bullet header flashed into the net, leaving Sochaux goalkeeper Simon Pouplin with no chance.
But they could not capitalise and their frailties were on show as Sochaux, who themselves had lost six of their last eight matches before tonight, went on the attack.
Sloan Privat latched on to Roy Contout's through ball but fired wide while the former freed Boudebouz, whose strike from the edge of the area was pushed away by Nancy keeper Guy N'Dy Assembe.
Boudebouz continued to prove a handful after the interval and had a hand in the equalising goal.
The Algeria midfielder's 25-yard free-kick came back off the upright and into the path of Ishamel Yartey, who flicked to Roudet to crash home from close range.
Sochaux's hopes of victory received a shot in the arm five minutes later when Bakar received his marching orders for upending Boudebouz.
And the visitors came very close to finding a winner but Privat smashed against the woodwork after Cedric Kante had flicked on David Sauget's cross.
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Matches
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French Ligue 1
Table
French Ligue 1
| Pos | Team | P | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Paris St Germain | 37 | 80 |
| 2 | Marseille | 37 | 70 |
| 3 | Lyon | 37 | 64 |
| 4 | St Etienne | 37 | 62 |
| 5 | Lille | 37 | 61 |
| 6 | Nice | 37 | 61 |
| 7 | Lorient | 37 | 53 |
| 8 | Bordeaux | 37 | 52 |
| 9 | Montpellier | 37 | 52 |
| 10 | Toulouse | 37 | 48 |
| 11 | Rennes | 37 | 46 |
| 12 | Bastia | 37 | 46 |
| 13 | Valenciennes | 37 | 45 |
| 14 | Reims | 37 | 42 |
| 15 | Evian Thonon Gaillar | 37 | 40 |
| 16 | AC Ajaccio | 37 | 40 |
| 17 | Sochaux | 37 | 40 |
| 18 | Troyes | 37 | 37 |
| 19 | Nancy | 37 | 35 |
| 20 | Brest | 37 | 29 |
