Nantes beat Nancy 1-0 in Ligue 2's fifth round at the Stade de la Beaujoire on Monday evening. Thomas Robinet's second-half opener proved enough despite the hosts being reduced to ten men a minute before. The result extends Nantes' winless run to five matches across all competitions.
The match turned at the half-hour mark when Elydjah Mendy saw red in the 32nd minute. By then Nancy were already down to ten men after Kouroufia Kebe received a second booking. Frédéric Guilbert went off on a yellow card at 45 minutes, and Robinet took advantage of the numerical advantage just after the break. There is unrest in the dressing room for both sides, though neither manager would say so publicly.
The statistics tell a straightforward story. Nantes dominated with 57 per cent possession and 112 attacks to Nancy's 88. The hosts registered two shots on target against zero for the visitors. That one goal from Robinet came from a moment of opportunity rather than sustained pressure. The statistics show many shots with one goal means chances went begging.
Nantes remain in 18th place with just one point from four games. Nancy move to seventh with seven points after two wins and a draw. The away side had looked comfortable before Mendy's dismissal, but the red card gifted the goal to the hosts. A fourth straight win for Nancy would have been a statement; instead they had nothing to do all evening after the turning point.
