Troyes 2 Lorient 1: Late Nivet strike settles play-off first leg

Benjamin Nivet struck an injury-time winner as
Troyes edged to a 2-1 home win over Lorient in the
first leg of the Ligue 1 relegation play-off on
Thursday.
Lorient had dominated the first half but they fell
behind to a goal against the run of play eight
minutes before the half-time interval.
Goalkeeper Benjamin Lecomte made an excellent
save to deny veteran Nivet from close range, but
the ball rebounded kindly for Stephane Darbion to
tuck home a neat finish and score for his third
successive appearance.
Lorient hit back with just eight minutes to go,
Benjamin Moukandjo slotting the ball through for
Abdul Majeed Waris, who struck a low shot across
the goalkeeper to level the scores.
But Troyes hit the winner as the clock ticked over
into the first minute of injury-time through 40-
year-old Nivet, who was bloodied from a head
injury sustained earlier in the game.
A defensive header fell kindly for Nivet to step
forward and arrow a superb strike into the bottom-
right corner to ensure his side have an advantage
heading into the second leg on Sunday at Lorient's
home, the Stade du Moustoir.