September 17, (THEWILL) – Nantes earned their first victory in Ligue 1 with a 1-0 win over Clermont Foot at the Stade Gabriel Montpied on Sunday. Moses Simon scored the only goal of the game in the 48th minute.
The first half was a cagey affair, with both teams struggling to create clear chances. Nantes had more possession and shots, but Clermont defended well and kept them at bay. The best Clermont opportunity fell to Neto Borges, whose left-footed shot from the box was blocked after a beautiful pass from Maxine Gonalons in the 27th minute.
The second half started with more intensity, and Nantes broke the deadlock three minutes after the restart. Florent Mollet found Simon on the left wing, and the Nigerian winger cut inside and hit a superb long range shot into the top corner, leaving Mory Diaw helpless in the Clermont goal. It was Simon’s first goal of the five matches played this season.
Nantes tried to respond, but Clermont held on to their lead with resilience and determination. Nantes had a couple of chances to extend their lead through Marquinhos and Douglas Augusto, but neither could find the target. Clermont also had some opportunities to level their scores, but Gaston Gonalons and Grejohn Kyei missed their chances.
The final chance to get a point from the tie came in the last minute of extra time when Clermont was awarded a penalty but Muhammed Cham-Saracevic’ kick was too high. The win sees Nantes reach five points but remain in 15th place with Clermont a spot behind on one point. Next for Nantes is a home match against Lorient on Saturday, while Clermont are away to Le Havre on Sunday.
About the Author
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.
