Le Mans 2-1 Lorient: Bourabaa and Diallo hand Le Mans their first win of the season
Abdoulaye Bourabaa scored inside three minutes and Habib Diallo added a second after the break, and Le Mans held on despite Isaac Jensen's reply to win 2-1 — their first victory after four draws and a defeat to start the campaign.
It took Le Mans five matchdays to win a Ligue 1 game, and they made this one count from the very start. Abdoulaye Bourabaa scored inside three minutes, Habib Diallo doubled the lead early in the second half, and Isaac Jensen's reply for Lorient in the 78th minute was not enough to stop Le Mans picking up their first three points of the season.
Four draws, one defeat, and finally a win
Le Mans had drawn three of their previous four league games and lost the other, a run that left them with three points from four matches going into this one. Lorient arrived unbeaten in two, having drawn with Toulouse and beaten Lens, but a fast start from Le Mans — settled inside three minutes — left them chasing the game for most of the afternoon.
Goal timeline
| Minute | Team | Player |
|---|---|---|
| 3' | Le Mans | Abdoulaye Bourabaa |
| 57' | Le Mans | Habib Diallo |
| 78' | Lorient | Isaac Jensen |
Line-ups
| Team | Starting XI |
|---|---|
| Le Mans (3-1-4-2) | Kocik; Yohou, Voyer, Sidibé; Bretelle; Vercruysse, Bourabaa, Larouci, Bamba; Mafouta, Diallo |
| Lorient (3-4-2-1) | Mvogo; Talbi, Adjei, Sylla; Avom, Cadiou, Kouassi, Katseris; Baldé, Makengo; Bernardeau |
Where the table stands
| Club | Position | Points | Zone |
|---|---|---|---|
| Le Mans | 9th | 6 pts | No European or relegation zone |
| Lorient | 12th | 5 pts | No European or relegation zone |
What's next
Le Mans go into the international break with a first win to point to, and a three-point swing that puts them above Lorient in the table. Lorient, who led Le Mans by two points a week ago, will look to bounce back once the season resumes.
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