Drama in injury time: Le Havre saved, Lyon still in Europe
The final matchday in France promised plenty of excitement in the battle for the last remaining spots in the European Cup and for survival. The big drama unfolded in the ninth minute of stoppage time in Strasbourg – and featured the very last goal of this Ligue 1 season.
Penalty kick to avoid relegation in injury time: Abdoulaye Touré (right) of Le Havre celebrates with his teammate. AFP via Getty Images
Paris St. Germain's fourth consecutive title, which will also face Inter Milan in the Champions League final in two weeks (May 31, 9 p.m., LIVE! on kicker), was already assured with six matchdays to go. And yet, Matchday 34 in Ligue 1 brought plenty of drama. The fate of four teams hung in the balance on the final kick of the season.
What happened? In stoppage time of the match between Strasbourg and Le Havre, the visitors from Normandy were awarded a penalty with the score at 2-2. At the time, Le Havre was in 16th place in the relegation playoffs, while Strasbourg was in 6th place, which qualifies them for European play.
However, since Olympique Lyon, Strasbourg's closest rivals, had already won 2-0 against Angers in the parallel matches, and Stade Reims, currently in 15th place, had lost 2-1 at Lille, players from both teams watched the stoppage time in Strasbourg with interest on their smartphones. Lyon could ultimately jump to sixth place, while Reims could slip into the relegation zone with a win at Le Havre.
Everything hinged on Abdoulaye Touré 's penalty and final goal of the Ligue 1 season, even though all other matches on the final day had already been completed. And the 31-year-old demonstrated impressive nerves of steel in his 200th game in the French top flight: He outwitted Racing keeper Djordje Petrovic and fired a Panenka shot into the net from a relatively central, half-height position.
The home team's last-ditch attempt to throw everything forward failed to produce a dangerous finish. With the 3-2 win, Le Havre jumped to 15th place in the last minute and celebrated survival. Strasbourg slipped to 7th place and thus (for the time being) out of the European Cup standings. Meanwhile, Lyon were celebrating in front of their smartphone screens - the Stade Reims players realized on their bench that they were headed for the relegation play-offs.
Before the matchday, AS St. Etienne, in 17th place, had also held out slight hopes of a relegation spot. However, that would have required a slip-up by Le Havre and a win in their home game against Toulouse. Despite a strong fight, the newly promoted team lost 3-2 and will be relegated back to Ligue 2 after just one year.
While Lyon secured sixth place thanks to two goals from Alexandre Lacazette and help from Le Havre, there was less drama in the race for fourth and fifth place. OGC Nice, in fourth place, left nothing to chance, leading 3-0 against Stade Brest after just half an hour and ultimately winning 6-0. Dortmund loanee Youssoufa Moukoko sat on the bench for the entire 90 minutes, as he has so often in recent weeks.
Nice will therefore play in the Champions League qualifiers next season. Lille, meanwhile, booked their place in the Europa League in fifth place thanks to their late 2-1 win against Reims – Chuba Akpom also scored the winner from the penalty spot in the 86th minute.
Strasbourg: Last hope PSGLyon, in sixth place, can at least count on a place in the Conference League playoffs. They can also still hope for the Europa League. Should champions PSG, on their own quest to win the treble, win the upcoming cup final (next Saturday, 9 p.m., LIVE! on kicker), the league, and in this case Lyon, get the second French starting spot in the Europa League.
And Racing Strasbourg, in seventh place, would still be able to compete in European competition. So, on the German border, everyone will be keeping their fingers crossed for the Parisians in the Coupe de France next weekend – who will face Stade Reims, of all teams, who slipped into the relegation play-offs at the last minute and must juggle the threat of Ligue 2 and the cup dream.
