The Albany Gazette - Faltering Nantes lose ground in relegation fight

In the early game in France, Monaco made the most of slips by the teams immediately below them the day before to tighten their grip on fourth with a 2-1 win at relegated Angers.

Thrashed 5-1 by Toulouse in the French Cup final last Saturday, Nantes have since lost 2-0 twice in succession to take their winless league run to 11 games.

They remain 17th in the 20-team league, but this season four clubs go down as Ligue 1 will shrink to 18 clubs next season.

"I'm angry but I'm not worried," said Nantes coach Antoine Kombouare.

After the starting the day trailing Strasbourg only on goal difference the Canaries are two points behind the 16th-place team, who are now Auxerre.

Strasbourg jumped to 14th.

As in Wednesday's defeat at Brest, the Canaries started well only to disintegrate.

Nantes could have calmed their nerves after 30 seconds, when Mostafa Mohamed had just Strasbourg goalie Matz Sels to beat but could not.

After 26 minutes, Jean-Charles Castelletto hooked away Jean-Ricner Bellegarde's foot on the edge of the box and Habib Diallo put the visitors ahead from the penalty kick.

Two minutes into the second half, Diallo set up Habib Diarra for the second.

"We disappointed a lot of people today. We are not efficient and we give our opponents gifts," said Kombouare. "We're not good, but 16th place is just two points away. It's in our hands."

Auxerre meanwhile drew 1-1 at home against mid-table Clermont.

Ajaccio held Toulouse 0-0 and climbed past Troyes into 18th. Even though the Corsicans are nine points behind Nantes they still have a mathematical chance of escaping the drop.

- 'Four good games' -

Earlier, Monaco held their nerve at Angers.

Monaco started without top scorer Wissam Ben Yedder, suspended for arriving late at training.

The visitors took the lead after on halftime when Aleksandr Golovin scored with a sharp first-time from outside the penalty area.

After an hour, with Angers pressing hard, Monaco stole the ball in midfield and launched a rapid break.

Youssouf Fofana tore down the flank and passed inside to unmarked Myron Boadu, the Dutch striker finishing first time from close to the penalty spot.

Substitute Abdallah Sima gave last-placed Angers hope with a near post header after 64 minutes but the home team barely threatened again.

Monaco pulled five points clear of Lille with Rennes two points further back.

Monaco face both their pursuers before the end of the season.

"We must continue like this, take confidence and play four good games to finish," said coach Philippe Clement.

The team from the Principality also trimmed the gap on a Champions League spot, but are six points behind third-placed Marseille.

On Saturday night, Marseille surrendered second to Lens where they lost 2-1.

Lens are three points behind leaders Paris Saint-Germain who visit Troyes later on Sunday, seemingly in crisis after a home loss last week to Lorient was followed by fan protests.

PSG are without Lionel Messi, suspended after an unauthorised midweek trip to Saudi Arabia.

(U.Gruber--BBZ)