Strasbourg get vital win in Nantes

With numerous absentees and a lively Stade de La Beaujoire, Racing Club de Strasbourg faced long odds this afternoon in a key battle in the flight to avoid relegation, against FC Nantes. Missing his regular midfield partnership -- Junior Mwanga and Ibrahima Sissoko -- Patrick Vieira instead opted for Habib Diarra and handing a full debut to Andrey Santos, with the returning Kévin Gameiro starting on the left.

Vieira's choices quickly paid dividends, as Gameiro struck the 100th goal of his Ligue 1 Uber Eats career just three minutes into the match, turning home a low cross from Marvin Senaya. Buoyed by the home crowd, Nantes threw everything into getting an equalizer, testing the visitors' defence numerous times before defender Eray Cömert scrambled the ball home at a corner. Cömert's goal seemed to have put the bit between the hosts' teeth, and Strasbourg reached the break likely relieved to still be level.

However, the interval seemed to have put a spring in Racing's step, and just after the hour, Emanuel Emegha found the net with a clever finish, restoring the lead and lifting his side provisionally four points ahead of Nantes in sixteenth. The young Dutchman wasn't done there, either -- 15 minutes later he had the first double of his Ligue 1 career, finishing smartly, with Dilane Bakwa providing his second assist of the match. Nantes turned up the pressure in the match's final minutes, but despite some fine chances, Les Canaris were unable to respond, leaving them waiting on the outcome of FC Metz's match tomorrow. Strasbourg, on the back of this win, are 12th ahead of Sunday's matches.