Ligue 1: a first day rich in spectacle and goals … Nîmes takes the lead in the ranking

The “League of talents” is back, the public in the stadiums too, and after this first day, it justifies its standing. However, everything had started badly on Friday August 21 at the opening of the French championship. In the Atlantic derby, Nantes and Bordeaux (0-0) did not manage to decide, after 90 soporific minutes. Little more enthusiasm the next day around Dijon – Angers (0-1), won by the Angevins on a goal from captain Ismaël Traoré.

Fortunately, the level has gone up a notch with a beautiful poster between European teams. Lille received Rennes (1-1) at the Pierre-Mauroy stadium. The Northerners have lost only one home game against the Bretons in eleven confrontations. After an excellent start to the Lille match, with a goal from Jonathan Bamba in the 40^th minute, the Mastiffs relaxed and retreated. They concede a logical equalizer on a corner, deflected at the near post by the 17-year-old prodigy Eduardo Camavinga and picked up by Rennes defender Damien Da Silva.

This Sunday 23 August marks the climax of this first day of Ligue 1, with matches with stunning scenarios, rich in goals, and technical gestures.

• Show on the French Riviera

Monaco played to scare themselves this Sunday, August 23, but finally snatched the point of the draw (2-2) against Reims, after being led 0-2 from the 20th minute of play. With his new coach, the Croatian Niko Kovac, the Monegasques have shown a strength of character lost for many months, despite a sporting performance still below. The reduction in the score comes in the 45th minute, shortly before the end of the first period, by former Reims Axel Disasi. The equalizer comes 10 minutes after the return from the locker room by the other central defender, Benoit Badiashile.

A few kilometers away, Nice paid for the promoted (2-1), the Racing Club de Lens. However, the Sang et Or had scored the first goal of the match, on a penalty converted by Gaël Kakuta in the 10th minute of play. But Nice was simply above, like its attacking duo Dolberg – Gouiri , very active on the attack front. Amine Gouiri, transferred from Lyon this summer for 8 million euros, scored a brace (23 ‘, 75’) and offered victory to the Aiglons. His first goal, a strike wrapped in the right in the skylight of Jean-Louis Leca, is a model of its kind.

• Nîmes, first leader of Ligue 1

Last season was terribly complicated for Nîmes Olympique (NO), rocked by poor sporting results and internal conflicts between management and its most ardent supporters. The Gardois were keen to start this 2020-2021 exercise in the best possible way against Brest. With a new coach on the bench, replacing Bernard Blaquart, Jerôme Arpino his assistant.

Despite the absence of their striker Nolan Roux and captain Anthony Bobichon, affected by Covid-19, the NO easily won their first match (4-0) against the weak Brestois. A lot of satisfaction on the Nîmes side at the end of this meeting: the cold efficiency of the NO, a solid rearguard, and a rookie achieving a perfect match. This is Birger Meling, left-back who played for Rosenborg in Norway last season, and who scored a goal and delivered an assist this Sunday 23 August.

• The technical gesture of the day

The beautiful gesture of this first day comes from a promoted one, he is from Lens … It is obviously Gaël Kakuta, the new master to play Blood and Gold. He could not avoid the defeat of his team (2-1) at the Allianz Riviera in Nice, but we regaled with a gesture he had the secret last year with Amiens.

• Three matches postponed due to Covid-19

The meeting between OM and AS Saint-Etienne was postponed following four cases of Covid-19 detected in the Marseille workforce. It will be played on Thursday, September 17 at 9 p.m. PSG and Olympique Lyonnais having qualified for the semi-finals of the Champions League, their matches against Metz and Montpellier have been rescheduled. Lyon – Montpellier is scheduled for Tuesday September 15 at 9 p.m., and PSG – Metz on Wednesday September 16 at 9 p.m.