June 04, (THEWILL) – FC Nantes faced a decisive moment in their fight for survival in Ligue 1, as they clashed with bottom-ranked Angers while hoping for a favourable outcome in the match between Lens and relegation rivals Auxerre.
The situation looked dire for the Loire-Atlantique side, who had endured a dismal winless streak in the league since February 12, placing them on the verge of relegation. In a partially filled Loire End stadium, Nantes had a full 90 minutes to rectify their misfortunes. From the outset, the hosts displayed an unwavering determination, launching themselves into tackles fueled by desperation.
Samuel Moutoussamy initiated a promising attack from the left, providing Ludovic Blas with an opportunity to set up Marcus Coco, who regrettably squandered a golden chance to take a 1-0 lead with a half-volley. For the first time in months, Nantes exhibited a sense of collective play, though individual brilliance was still evident.
Blas outshone Angers’ defence with his skilful dribbling, eventually finding Ignatius Ganago, who unleashed a resounding strike to secure the opening goal. Nantes persistently applied pressure on Yahia Fofana’s goal, yet their final touch consistently let them down. Just before the break, the hosts experienced a moment of anxiety when Abdallah Sima appeared to find the back of Alban Lafont’s net, only to be deemed offside.
A testament to Nantes’ newfound unity and Angers’ lacklustre performance was the visitors’ failure to register a single shot on target in the first 45 minutes. Nigerian Moses Simon replaced Ganago in the 78th minute but could not find the net. With a disallowed goal for Angers and news of a favourable result in the other match, Nantes held on to secure their Ligue 1 status.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
