AFCON 2025
The third round of Ligue 1 action lit up stadiums across France yesterday, delivering late drama, fierce rivalries, and plenty of goals.
From Monaco’s last-gasp winner against Strasbourg to Lyon’s narrow triumph over Marseille, the matches showcased both attacking flair and defensive grit as clubs continue to shape their early-season form.
At the Stade Raymond-Kopa, Angers and Rennes cancelled each other out in a 1–1 draw. Both sides showed attacking intent but had to settle for a share of the points after neither managed to find a late winner.
In the Principality, Monaco edged Strasbourg 3–2 in a thrilling clash. Maghnes Akliouche opened the scoring before Folarin Balogun doubled the advantage, but Strasbourg hit back through Junior Bakwa and a Panichelli penalty. Takumi Minamino struck deep into stoppage time to seal a dramatic victory for the hosts.
It was another five-goal encounter in Paris, where Paris FC defeated Metz 3–2. Ilan Kebbal was the star of the show, converting a penalty and adding a second goal, with Morgan Guilavogui also on target. Metz fought back through two efforts from Sane and a Traoré strike but ultimately fell short.
Le Havre impressed at home with a 3–1 victory over Nice. Doucouré, Ndiaye and Soumaré all found the net for the hosts, while Oppong’s solitary strike wasn’t enough to inspire a Nice comeback.
The headline fixture of the evening saw Lyon claim a narrow 1–0 win over Marseille in a tense clash at Groupama Stadium. The decisive moment came via an own goal from Leonardo Balerdi, handing Lyon a precious victory in one of French football’s most fiercely contested rivalries.
