Ligue 1 Wrap: Bahoken, Khazri & Dossou score as Kouyate sees red

BetOdds African All Stars Bordeaux v Clermont Bordeaux Lille Montpellier v Olympique Marseille Clermont Strasbourg Saint-Étienne Angers SCO Lorient Montpellier Strasbourg v Angers SCO Olympique Marseille Metz v Lille Saint-Étienne v Lorient Metz Ligue 1

Africans stars had a productive weekend in the French elite division, but it was a sour one for the Malian defender who was given his marching orders

Guinea forward Mohamed Bayo and Benin Republic midfielder Jodel Dossou powered Clermont Foot to a 2-0 victory over Bordeaux in Sunday’s Ligue 1 outing.

Playing away from home, the French elite division new boys left it late to sting their hosts which paraded Nigeria international Samuel Kalu and Mozambique's Mexer.

Although the Girondins went into the game as outstanding favourites, they put every foot wrong as they were shocked before their home fans by the less fancied Lancers.

With the encounter staged inside Nouveau Stade de Bordeaux heading for a 0-0 draw, Clermont went ahead in the 82nd minute through Bayo, who tapped the ball past Benoit Costil thanks to an assist from Kosovo’s Elbasan Rashani.

While Vladimir Petkovic’s team were pushing hard for an equaliser, they leaked in the second goal in the closing stages of the game as Dossou converted a pass from Jordan Tell.

At the Stade Geoffroy-Guichard, Wahbi Khazri helped AS Saint-Etienne secure a 1-1 draw with Terem Moffi's Lorient.

The first half ended 0-0, but it was the visiting Merlucciidaes who took a 52nd-minute lead through Vincent Le Goff.

A wonderful counter-attack down the right flank found the French defender, whose first-time strike slammed into the bar and past goalkeeper Etienne Green.

Twenty minutes from full-time, Khazri ensured that the points were shared after he converted from the penalty mark following a foul on him by Julien Laporte in the box.

Referee Thomas Leonard had waved aside penalty appeals, but he reversed his decision following VAR replays.

In another fixture, Strasbourg were overpowered 2-0 at home by Angers with Ismael Traore and Cameroon’s Stephane Bahoken finding the net.

Cote d’Ivoire’s Traore gave the Black and Whites a well-deserved lead at Stade de la Meinauin after heading Thomas Mangani’s cross past Matz Sels in the 57th minute.

Nine minutes from full-time, Bahoken struck a second for the visiting side near the penalty spot following Mohamed-Ali Cho’s excellent wing play.

Meanwhile, Mali defender Boubakar Kouyate saw red as Lille played a 3-3 draw at Metz.

The 24-year-old centre-back was shown the way out in the 56th minute for a poor lunging tackle on Burak Yilmaz.

Profiting from the numerical advantage, the reigning French kings bounced back from their 3-1 deficit to ensure that the game ended all square.

2021-08-08 23:00:02

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