PARIS – Strasbourg has made a strong push for Champions League qualification following a critical 1-0 victory against Reims on Sunday. This win elevates Strasbourg to fourth place in the French Ligue 1, with only six games remaining in the season. The league grants automatic qualification to the top three finishers, while the fourth place earns a spot in qualifying rounds.
Strasbourg and Marseille are neck and neck in the standings, both with 49 points. Marseille, who had been on a losing streak, was set to play against Toulouse later in the day, looking to gain an edge and break the tie.
The defeat was a setback for Reims, dropping them to 16th place, which is the relegation-promotion playoff position, putting pressure on the team to improve its standing quickly.
Liam Rosenior, the coach of Strasbourg, has made significant strides in his debut season. Despite having just two weeks for pre-season training with his team, the 40-year-old Englishman has led the club to the brink of a potential Champions League berth.
The match’s decisive moment came early, in the fourth minute, when Strasbourg’s right back Ismaël Doukouré found himself unmarked during a corner, allowing him to score the game’s only goal. The match’s intensity boiled over late, resulting in both teams having players sent off as their tempers flared.
Meanwhile, Montpellier’s situation has worsened at the foot of the table. After a 2-0 home loss to Le Havre, the team’s path away from relegation looks increasingly challenging. Le Havre improved their own survival hopes by moving out of the immediate relegation threat thanks to goals from midfielders Yassine Kechta and Abdoulaye Touré.
The loss leaves Montpellier with just 18 points, eight behind Saint-Etienne, who also suffered a defeat on Sunday. Saint-Etienne was narrowly beaten 1-0 by ninth-placed Lens, where midfielder Goduine Koyalipou scored in the 75th minute.
Elsewhere, Brazilian defender Jubal scored late, granting midtable Auxerre a narrow 1-0 victory over Rennes.