Lorient hosted Nantes in Ligue 1 this afternoon, looking for their first win of the campaign as Jeremie Aliadiere returned to the starting lineup.
Nantes spoiled their plans by taking the lead thanks to a touch of fortune on 17 minutes, with Olivier Veigneau's cross sailing into the top corner.
Christian Gourcuff's side responded strongly and turned the game round before the break, thanks to goals from strike partners Vincent Aboubakar and Aliadiere.
Look back at a hard-earned success for Lorient with Sports Mole's minute-by-minute commentary below.
Afternoon French football fans. A packed second weekend from Ligue 1 continues at the Stade Yves Allainmat, with last season's surprise package Lorient taking on newly-promoted Nantes.
Lorient were edged in a tricky trip to Lille last weekend, starting their league campaign with a defeat. Christian Gourcuff will be desperate to bounce back today with a positive result against Nantes, despite missing some of his key players from last season through a combination of injury and suspension.
Nantes should be riding high after starting life back in Ligue 1 with a win over Bastia last weekend, but that result is now shrouded in doubt following an appeal from the Corsican's over Abdoulaye Toure. Bastia believe that the midfielder should have been suspended and are pressing to have that defeat overturned.
Michel Der Zakarian now has to lift the visitors despite that controversy to impress this afternoon. His side showed plenty of attacking impetus in that 2-0 success over Bastia, with Filip Djordjevic in particular impressing in the final third.
BREAKING TEAM NEWS! We have just received word of a huge fitness boost for Lorient this afternoon, with Jeremie Aliadiere passed fit and included in Gourcuff's starting XI. A full look at both sides will follow in just a few moments.
LORIENT: Audard, Kone, Manga, Guerriero, Baca, Lautoa, Jouffre, Lemina, Paquet, Aboubakar, Aliadiere
NANTES: Riou-Djilobodji, Vizcarrondo, Veigneau Deaux, Cissokho, Bessat Toure Gakpe, Eudeline, Djordjevic
Aliadiere's inclusion must be a huge relief to Lorient fans, after a summer which saw the former Arsenal forward consistently linked with a move to Lyon. The 30-year-old bagged 19 goals in all competitions last season, but despite interest from elsewhere in Ligue 1 has finally committed his future to Gourcuff's side.
Vincent Aboubakar will start alongside Aliadiere up front, in a strikeforce which looks to nice blend of pace and power. Maxime Baca has passed a late fitness test to make his 100th Ligue appearance, while but Lamine Gassama is out through suspension after getting sent off at Lille last weekend.
Nantes are without Lucas Deaux and Jordan Veretout through suspension, but Djordjevic and Eudeline continue in attack. Summer signing Alejandro Bedoya continues to wait for a Ligue 1 debut and has to settle for a place on the bench.
PREDICTION! With Lorient back to something like full strength this afternoon I expect the hosts to find form and pick up a first win of the campaign. Nantes are more than capable of finding the target this afternoon, so I'll go with Aliadiere to net in a 2-1 home win.
After a minute's silence held for former Lorient and Nantes manager and French international Jean Vincent we are just about ready to begin. Early pressure on Lorient to respond after that win at Lille last week.
Lorient quickly break forward on the synthetic Stade Yves Allainmat surface, with Aliadiere crowded out by Vizcarrondo. Lucas Deuax then blocks the forward's burst out wide, conceding an early corner that is quickly cleared by Issa Cissokho.
An enforced break in play here early on after Écuélé Manga was floored after taking an attempted long pass full in the face. The Lorient captain is eventually helped to the touchline but looks very groggy at the moment.
Manga is back on and straight away defending in his own penalty area, with Baca scrambling clear on the line to stop Gakpe breaking the deadlock after a heavy touch rounded the goalkeeper. Djodjevic then looks to recycle possession, but his flick back into the danger zone finds two players offside.
Lorient win a free kick around 25 yards from goal, which Aliadiere hits off the wall and behind for a corner kick. At the other end Toure shows pace to chase Gakpe's pass towards the touchline, but is crowded out by assured defending from Manga.
Aboubakar just fails to time his run to meet a long pass over the top, with the forward drifting offside. Lorient look the more comfortable in possession but Nantes definitely possess a threat on the counter, but neither side has managed a strike on target so far.
Aliadiere cuts inside to find space inside the penalty area, curling well past the far post with a wayward effort from a tight angle. Nantes gifted the forward that half-chance by losing possession cheaply in midfield.
GOAL! Lorient 0-1 Nantes (Veigneau)
Out of almost nothing Nantes have taken the lead away from home, thanks to what has to be considered a fluke effort from Veigneau. The full-back was looking for a deep cross towards the far post, but his looping effort went sailing over Audard and into the top corner, off the underside of the crossbar. Not alot the keeper could do there, with Lorient stunned after falling behind in strange circumstances.
Nantes come close to a second thanks to a swift counter. Bassa's pass just evaded Djordjevic unmarked in the penalty area, with Eudeline unable to turn home after a late run to the far post.
The referee decides both sides can take a drinks break midway through the first period, with Djilobodji conceding a free kick near the corner flag when play resumes. Jouffre keeps a poor cross alive to win a corner kick, but once again the delivery is below par and Nantes head behind.
Nantes quickly present Jouffre with another chance to cross with a free kick around 30 yards from goal, but his ball into the penalty area fails to beat the first man. So far the referee has decided to keep his cards in his pocket, but the visitors must now be walking a fine line due to persistent fouling.
YELLOW CARDS! Sure enough Cissokho becomes the first player cautioned for a high challenge with studs up, but is perhaps unfortunate after not making contact. Within a minute Lorient defender Kone joins in, after cynically launching into a tackle from behind to break up play near the halfway line.
Lorient are struggling to create anything meaningful from open play, which is unusual for Gourcuff's men. Both sides currently have a man down after Kone appeared to knee Eudeline as he slid in the ground, with both players taking their time to recover.
GOAL! Lorient 1-1 Nantes (Aboubakar)
The hosts are level after finally producing a killer pass in the final third. Baca was the architect, chipping to space for Aboubakar inside the penalty area. The Cameroon striker had time to control and smash beyond Riou at the near post for his first Lorient goal. All too easy there thanks to some slack Nantes defending and we are all square.
Veigneau decides to try his luck from range again out wide, but this time his speculative effort flies well past the near post.
Lorient inject some pace into proceedings before the break, with Lemina driving down the far side. Eventually the ball falls to Baca, who wants a free kick after falling to the ground, but the referee is not interested and waves away hopeful appeals from the hosts.
Nantes whether the storm before breaking down the right through Toure, but his attempted exchange with Eudeline is overhit and trickles out for a goal kick.
SAVE! On the stroke of half-time Lorient go within inches of taking the lead, after Aliadiere found space to meet Lautoa's cross at the near post. His instinctive flick is parried by Riou, who gathers the rebound gratefully in the final action of the first period.
HALF TIME Lorient 1-1 Nantes
A thoroughly entertaining first half finishes with Lorient pressing, but Nantes probably deserve to be level despite sturggling to keep possession. The visitor's were very fortunate to take the lead, but failed to make that luck count as Aboubakar equalised before the interval.
Lorient have largely controlled possession, without penetrating until the last 10 minutes of a tight first period. Aliadiere and Boubakar have shown glimpses of developing an understanding in attack, which bodes well for Gourcuff's side.
Nantes have been content to sit deep and look to break clear with pace on the counter, particularly through Gakpe and Toure. The visitors have been guilty of persistent fouling throughout the first period, but in fairness that tactic helped disrupt Lorient's rhythm for much of the first 45 minutes.
SUBSTITUTION: The hosts have been forced into an unexpected change at the interval, with goalkeeper Audard forced off through injury. Benjamin Lecomte is on in his place as we get the second half underway with Nantes on the attack through Djordjevic.
A wildly open start to the second half has both teams committing numbers in search of a second goal, with Aboubakar's neat touch and turn inside the penalty area shut down by an importanr covering challenge from Djilobodji.
SHOT! Jouffre finds space after cutting inside from a wide position, but his curling strike is parried away by Riou. A packed penalty area all look to pick up the rebound, with Nantes eventually able to scramble clear at the second time of asking.
SUBSTITUTION: Nantes have made an early change of their own and it's a positive one. Eudeline has been replaced by USA international Alejandro Bedoya, who has more than 30 minutes to impress off the bench on his Ligue 1 debut.
Lorient have taken control as Monnet-Paquet shows pace to burst clear down the flank, with Riou just able to tip away Boubakar's cross in search of Aliadiere at the far post. Cissokho then defends strongly to block clear Lemina's powerful shot, but the visitor's are pressed back deep in their own half.
Aliaidere wins a free kick just outside the penalty after being clipped from behind by Toure. The forward decides to take himself, this is a great chance to take the lead.
GOAL! Lorient 2-1 Nantes (Aliadiere)
A curling free kick from Aliaidiere has Lorient ahead, despite Riou getting both hands on the strike. The Nantes keeper could only palm the ball towards the top corner and will probably be disappointed not to have saved that strike, which stayed central enough to give him a chance. Lorient take a lead they definitely deserve just past the hour mark.
Nantes respond positively to that setback as Bessat wins a corner kick down the far side. Gakpe's cross is cleared easily but swiftly turned back towards the penalty area, finding Djordjevic in an offside position.
Baca flashes a fine pass across the six-yard box that deserves a Lorient teammates on the receiving end, but Monnet-Paquet and Aboubakar are both unable to make contact inside the penalty area.
SHOT! Guerreiro is the latest player to show neat feet in the final third for Lorient, with his clever feint creating room to shoot. Just outside the box he decides to shoot, with a central strike punched away by Riou.
SUBSTITUTION: Just before a drinks break Lorient make a second change, swapping Monnet-Paquet for Giles Sunu. The former Arsenal youngster will play out wide and look to use his pace during the closing stages.
SUBSTITUTION: Nantes decide to reply in kind with a change of their own, bringing on Venezuelan international Fernando Aristeguieta for Bessat in midfield. The visitors are running out of time to produce a response, as Sunu quickly gets involved with a pacy burst on the left wing.
Lorient are largely controlling possession as Aliadiere and Sunu help bring the ball forward, with an attempt by Aboubakar to swap passes with Jouffre eventually going out of play. Nantes need a more direct approach in the closing stages.
SAVE! Aliadiere has just gone within inches of putting the result beyond doubt. The forward found space after collecting a through ball from Aboubakar, but Riou rushed out and just did enough to slow down his low shot, allowing Cissokho to clear.
Sunu is the latest player to roam into the penalty area with pace, with Lorient winning a free kick as Jouffre was fouled picking up the pieces just outside the penalty area. Before the hosts can take Jouffre has to come off carrying a knock, replaced by Robert.
Nantes continue to leave gaps for Lorient to exploit as time ticks away, with Gakpe fouling Baca as frustration start to show for the visitors. Dordjevic then creates an opening from out of nothing after swapping passes with Aristeguieta, but after being forced wide his effort from a tight angle goes off-target.
The fourth official has found five minutes of stoppage time from somewhere, giving Nantes a last hope of snatching something from this match.
OFF THE LINE! Sunu takes the pressure off for Lorient by winning a corner on the left flank, but a free kick conceded on the halfway line then gifts Nantes their last chance to pump forward. A chip into the box causes havoc as Bedoya reacts quickest. His shot has Lecomte caught out of position, but Kone was well placed and slid in to clear off the line. A dramatic finish!
FULL TIME Lorient 2-1 Nantes
Lorient have held off a late fightback to earn their first win of the campaign. It was a victory they merited despite going behind, with Aliadiere following Aboubakar's first goal to get Gourcuff's side maximum points.
Aliadiere and Aboubakar's partnership should be exciting for Lorient this season, giving them hope of replicating last season's surprise top-half finish. Nantes battled hard but need more quality in the final third to maintain their Ligue 1 status.
That just about does for the penultimate game in Ligue 1 this evening. Be sure to join us later when Paris Saint-Germain host Ajaccio as Edinson Cavani waits to make his home debut. Good evening!
Written by
Liam Power
Liam Power
