Ligue 1 wrap: Monaco upset Lille, PSG edge Caen

Monaco bolstered their Ligue 1 survival chances and dented Lille’s title hopes in the process with a 1-0 win at the Stade Louis II.

South Korean midfielder Chu-young Park scored the only goal after 11 minutes of a spiteful game, with six Monaco players find their names in referee Olivier Thual’s book and Lille’s Ivory Coast striker Gervinho sent off after 32 minutes.

Gervinho was sent off for pushing Monaco defender Adriano, in retaliation for a heavy challenge from the Brazilian that earned him a caution.

Monaco’s win on Saturday sees them climb out of the relegation zone and into 14th place, although they are still just one point clear of the drop zone and among a logjam of five teams on 35 points.

Lille, meanwhile, could see their lead at the top cut to a solitary point should Marseille beat Toulouse on Sunday.

Elsewhere on Saturday, Paris Saint-Germain left Caen just a point clear of the drop zone with a 2-1 win away from home.

Christophe Jallet opened the scoring for the visitors after 12 minutes and Clement Chantome doubled their advantage at the 68-minute mark, before Romain Hamouma pulled a goal back in stoppage time for Caen.

The win moved PSG to within a point of fourth-placed Lyon as the race for the all-important Europa League spot continues, with Lyon playing host to Lens on Sunday.

Auxerre dropped to 18th position after they were held to a 2-2 draw at home against Saint-Etienne.

Emmanuel Riviere gave the visitors the lead on 26 minutes, but Dennis Oliech levelled proceedings two minutes before half-time.

Pierre Aubameyang restored Saint-Etienne’s lead after 70 minutes, but a penalty from Dariusz Dudka 10 minutes later helped Auxerre claim what could be a crucial point as the relegation battle intensifies.

Bottom-side Arles also claimed a point through their 0-0 draw at Bordeaux but appear a certainty to face the drop, while mid-table sides Lorient and Sochaux played out a 1-1 draw at the Stade du Moustoir.

Boukary Drame fired Sochaux ahead on the 25-minute mark, but Jeremy Morel hit back for the hosts 10 minutes later.

Valenciennes joined the traffic jam on 35 points when they were held to a 1-1 draw at home against Nancy, in a game that saw both sides finish with 10 men.

Gregory Pujol gave Valenciennes the lead two minutes before half-time, just three minutes after his side had Serbian defender Milan Bisevac sent off for a second bookable offence.

Numbers were evened up on the hour mark when Nancy defender Michael Basser Chretien was also given his marching orders for a second caution, and substitute Marama Vahirua scored a stoppage-time equaliser to claim a point for the visitors.

Sat 9 April, 2011

Ligue 1 wrap: Monaco upset Lille, PSG edge Caen

Monaco bolstered their Ligue 1 survival chances and dented Lille’s title hopes in the process with a 1-0 win at the Stade Louis II.

South Korean midfielder Chu-young Park scored the only goal after 11 minutes of a spiteful game, with six Monaco players find their names in referee Olivier Thual’s book and Lille’s Ivory Coast striker Gervinho sent off after 32 minutes.

Gervinho was sent off for pushing Monaco defender Adriano, in retaliation for a heavy challenge from the Brazilian that earned him a caution.

Monaco’s win on Saturday sees them climb out of the relegation zone and into 14th place, although they are still just one point clear of the drop zone and among a logjam of five teams on 35 points.

Lille, meanwhile, could see their lead at the top cut to a solitary point should Marseille beat Toulouse on Sunday.

Elsewhere on Saturday, Paris Saint-Germain left Caen just a point clear of the drop zone with a 2-1 win away from home.

Christophe Jallet opened the scoring for the visitors after 12 minutes and Clement Chantome doubled their advantage at the 68-minute mark, before Romain Hamouma pulled a goal back in stoppage time for Caen.

The win moved PSG to within a point of fourth-placed Lyon as the race for the all-important Europa League spot continues, with Lyon playing host to Lens on Sunday.

Auxerre dropped to 18th position after they were held to a 2-2 draw at home against Saint-Etienne.

Emmanuel Riviere gave the visitors the lead on 26 minutes, but Dennis Oliech levelled proceedings two minutes before half-time.

Pierre Aubameyang restored Saint-Etienne’s lead after 70 minutes, but a penalty from Dariusz Dudka 10 minutes later helped Auxerre claim what could be a crucial point as the relegation battle intensifies.

Bottom-side Arles also claimed a point through their 0-0 draw at Bordeaux but appear a certainty to face the drop, while mid-table sides Lorient and Sochaux played out a 1-1 draw at the Stade du Moustoir.

Boukary Drame fired Sochaux ahead on the 25-minute mark, but Jeremy Morel hit back for the hosts 10 minutes later.

Valenciennes joined the traffic jam on 35 points when they were held to a 1-1 draw at home against Nancy, in a game that saw both sides finish with 10 men.

Gregory Pujol gave Valenciennes the lead two minutes before half-time, just three minutes after his side had Serbian defender Milan Bisevac sent off for a second bookable offence.

Numbers were evened up on the hour mark when Nancy defender Michael Basser Chretien was also given his marching orders for a second caution, and substitute Marama Vahirua scored a stoppage-time equaliser to claim a point for the visitors.

Sat 9 April, 2011

Bale confident of England upset

Gareth Bale says it would not be a surprise if Wales defeated great rivals England in their Euro 2012 qualifier on Saturday.

The Tottenham winger, who is enjoying his best season with Spurs, is adamant Wales can spring a shock result against England despite having lost their opening three qualifiers.”We’re quietly confident in the camp that we’ve got enough to pull off an upset,” Bale said.”People might laugh at us but we fully believe that we’ve got some good players here and we’ll be fully prepared and ready to take it to England.”The 21-year-old is relishing the opportunity of playing against some of his club team-mates, many of whom are regular squad members with the Three Lions.”I’ve had a bit of banter with (Jermain) Defoe and (Michael) Dawson back at the club and it will be a great game on Saturday and I’m hoping Wales will come out on top,” he said.”A lot of us haven’t played against England for the full team. It will be a great occasion and one we all want to play in.”"I definitely think it will be a great experience for us to play at the highest level and it will stand us in good stead for the future.”"Now is the time we need to start delivering and there’s no better game than to beat England.”The fixture against England also marks the return of Arsenal midfielder Aaron Ramsey, who has been regaining his fitness via a series of loan spells after recovering from a broken leg.The young midfielder’s return, in addition to Bale’s return from a six-week spell on the sidelines, will serve as a boost to Gary Speed’s men.”We’re still young, we’re still learning and we’re both improving at our clubs and we want to keep doing that,” Bale said.”If we do then it will be good for the Welsh team.”Bale also dismissed suggestions his return to the national set-up would have a major bearing on the result, insisting it would require a collective effort to knock over England.”I don’t think any player can carry the whole team and it’s about the team playing well together and not individuals,” he said.”As long as we work as a team then I think we can go a long way.”

Wed 23 March, 2011

Bale confident of England upset

Gareth Bale says it would not be a surprise if Wales defeated great rivals England in their Euro 2012 qualifier on Saturday.

The Tottenham winger, who is enjoying his best season with Spurs, is adamant Wales can spring a shock result against England despite having lost their opening three qualifiers.”We’re quietly confident in the camp that we’ve got enough to pull off an upset,” Bale said.”People might laugh at us but we fully believe that we’ve got some good players here and we’ll be fully prepared and ready to take it to England.”The 21-year-old is relishing the opportunity of playing against some of his club team-mates, many of whom are regular squad members with the Three Lions.”I’ve had a bit of banter with (Jermain) Defoe and (Michael) Dawson back at the club and it will be a great game on Saturday and I’m hoping Wales will come out on top,” he said.”A lot of us haven’t played against England for the full team. It will be a great occasion and one we all want to play in.”"I definitely think it will be a great experience for us to play at the highest level and it will stand us in good stead for the future.”"Now is the time we need to start delivering and there’s no better game than to beat England.”The fixture against England also marks the return of Arsenal midfielder Aaron Ramsey, who has been regaining his fitness via a series of loan spells after recovering from a broken leg.The young midfielder’s return, in addition to Bale’s return from a six-week spell on the sidelines, will serve as a boost to Gary Speed’s men.”We’re still young, we’re still learning and we’re both improving at our clubs and we want to keep doing that,” Bale said.”If we do then it will be good for the Welsh team.”Bale also dismissed suggestions his return to the national set-up would have a major bearing on the result, insisting it would require a collective effort to knock over England.”I don’t think any player can carry the whole team and it’s about the team playing well together and not individuals,” he said.”As long as we work as a team then I think we can go a long way.”

Wed 23 March, 2011

Sparta aim for Anfield upset

Sparta Prague manager Jozef Chovanec believes his side are the underdogs ahead of Thursday’s Europa League second-leg tie against Liverpool.

The game is finely poised after a 0-0 draw in Prague last Thursday, with the second leg at Anfield to decide which club progresses to the final 16 to play either Polish club Lech Poznan or Portuguese outfit Sporting Braga.

Chovanec said his side can play ugly football if it means getting past the Reds, but conceded Kenny Dalglish’s side had the upper hand with the home advantage.

“Of course I’m not going to get into the tactics of the match before tomorrow but we base our experience on our last game in Liverpool,” Chovanec said.

“The priority is to win. The final result is still open to both sides. It’s not about playing beautiful football but getting through and getting the result and the chance is still there, but of course Liverpool are still the favourites.”

Midfielder Marek Matejovsky, who scored at Anfield for former side Reading in the English Premier League in March 2008, said his side were bracing themselves for a vocal Liverpool crowd but remained hopeful they could upset the locals.

“We all know that the atmosphere here (at Anfield) is usually great, I don’t know if it’s the best – but it is loud and we’ll see tomorrow,” Matejovsky said.

“Of course I’d like to score but the most important is to fulfil our hope of getting through and that’s the most important aspect of the match tomorrow.”

Thu 24 February, 2011

Sparta aim for Anfield upset

Sparta Prague manager Jozef Chovanec believes his side are the underdogs ahead of Thursday’s Europa League second-leg tie against Liverpool.

The game is finely poised after a 0-0 draw in Prague last Thursday, with the second leg at Anfield to decide which club progresses to the final 16 to play either Polish club Lech Poznan or Portuguese outfit Sporting Braga.

Chovanec said his side can play ugly football if it means getting past the Reds, but conceded Kenny Dalglish’s side had the upper hand with the home advantage.

“Of course I’m not going to get into the tactics of the match before tomorrow but we base our experience on our last game in Liverpool,” Chovanec said.

“The priority is to win. The final result is still open to both sides. It’s not about playing beautiful football but getting through and getting the result and the chance is still there, but of course Liverpool are still the favourites.”

Midfielder Marek Matejovsky, who scored at Anfield for former side Reading in the English Premier League in March 2008, said his side were bracing themselves for a vocal Liverpool crowd but remained hopeful they could upset the locals.

“We all know that the atmosphere here (at Anfield) is usually great, I don’t know if it’s the best – but it is loud and we’ll see tomorrow,” Matejovsky said.

“Of course I’d like to score but the most important is to fulfil our hope of getting through and that’s the most important aspect of the match tomorrow.”

Thu 24 February, 2011