Olivier Giroud offers a victory on the thread in Lille against Monaco

While we were heading for a draw and a virgin, Olivier Giroud arose to offer the victory in Lille (1-0) against Monaco, Sunday August 24 in the evening, at the Pierre-Mauroy stadium in Villeneuve-d’Ascq (North), thus scored his second goal of the season in as many Ligue 1 matches.

Begun a few weeks ago, with a return to France that little had seen coming at the beginning of the summer, the story between Lille and the top scorer in the history of the French team (57 goals in 137 selections) already has everything from fairy tale.

While the Lille suburbs had seen, so far, only a dull match, filled with approximations between two teams clearly still in running, she suddenly exulted, when Giroud scored the goal of victory. With a pure goalscorer: a pivot control then a powerful strike out of the reach of the Monegasque goalkeeper Lukas Hradecky, after a center of Matias Fernandez-Pardo (90^e + 1).

The proof, if necessary, that the great striker (1.93 meters) was, almost 39 years old, lost nothing of his talent, despite a failed experience in Los Angeles FC. And what does it matter if the native of Chambéry missed a penalty a few minutes later (90^e + 9), undoubtedly ocis by this disputed match, as last week, in full: he had succeeded.

Monaco does not convert offerings

AS Monaco has left Villeneuve-d’Ascq with the regret of not being able to convert into goals, much earlier in the match, the many gifts offered by the Lille. Those of Ayyoub Bouaddi (3^e), Alexsandro (37^e) a Nathan ngoy (39^e), which blackened a globally disappointing Lille block performance, far from the solidity that made it the second best defense in Ligue 1 last season.

The lack of Monegasque realism testifies to the fact that this team is not yet ready for the European deadlines that await it in a few weeks, or to fight to win a ticket for the next Champions League.

Lille either. Before the goal of Giroud, the northern club had trouble putting rhythm, and above all to create opportunities, especially in the first period, where the DOGUES did not frame the slightest strike. The only action to report: the face-to-face failed by Hakon Haraldsson (21^e), yet very well launched in depth.

While the Monegasques had the initiative in the first period, they left it in Lille in the second, the match still falling level. Worse, Ngal’Ayel Mukau was going out at the time of play on a stretcher, replaced by Fernandez-Pardo.

Until then excels in the discount game, leading the fight against the defenders of AS Monaco Eric Dier and Christian Mawissa, Olivier Giroud then created a first clear opportunity, after a sprint in the area, but his tackle to take up a center is missing (73^e). It was only awarded. Already a goalscorer and precious in his ability to have crazy fires play like Hakon Haraldsson or Félix Correia around him in Brest, Giroud has repeated. While “The versatile striker” That coach Bruno Genesio wanted coach during this transfer window should not happen, according to the president of the club, Olivier Létang, Giroud surprises by going beyond the expectations that one could have concerning an attacker at the twilight of his career. But it is well known, the great players are eternal.

This success allows DOGUES to climb to fifth row (four points), while Monaco slides in the eighth (three points) at the end of the second day of Ligue 1.

Reindeer implodes

For its part, Strasbourg continued its momentum last season, ended in a rush. Emanuel Emegha allowed Racing to win (1-0) against Nantes at La Meinau, a cross-headed head on an impeccable service by Dilane Bakwa, at the end of the match. The Dutch striker had just missed a recovery at close range in front of the empty goal. The Alsatians join the PSG, Lyon, but also Toulouse at the top of the ranking.

The men of Carles Martinez Novell have indeed won again on Sunday, against Brest this time (2-0), on a double on the return from the locker room of Frank Magri. The Bretons may be preparing for a difficult season after the last two glorious exercises (third place then successful participation in the Champions League). As a symbol, coach Eric Roy replaced the Captain defender, Brendan Chardonnet during the match.

For his part, Rennes missed the opportunity to surf his victory in inferiority against Marseille last week. The team trained by Habib Beye was weakened by the two successive exclusions, during the first eleven minutes, of the recruit Mahdi Camara then by Christopher Wooh. After stirring on a grouped Rennes defense, Lorient unrolled and scored four goals. The two teams have three points.

Lens resumed his cruel defeat against Lyon last weekend by going to win at the Océane stadium in Le Havre (2-1) thanks in particular to the first goal in L1 of the young Rayan Fofana, 19.