Ligue 1: three Nigeria stars feature in season opener

Nigeria internationals Josh Maja, Moses Simon and Samuel Kalu were all in action, as the 2020-21 Ligue 1 campaign got underway with a fixture between Bordeaux and Nantes at Matmut Atlantique on Friday.
Bordeaux, who played most of the game with ten men following the dismissal of Mehdi Zerkane, were held by the visitors.

The match was initially scheduled to hold on Saturday, but was brought forward after the tie between Olympique Marseille and Saint-Etienne — originally listed as the first game of the season — was suspended due to coronavirus concerns.
Ligue 1 authorities moved the match to Friday to fill the gap left as a result of the postponment.
That clash will now hold on September 12.
Coach Jean-Louis Gasset set up his Bordeaux side in a 4-3-3 formation but was forced to make early tactical changes after Zerkane received his marching orders in the 20th minute.
Super Eagles winger Kalu was left out of the starting lineup, but Maja got the nod of Gasset as the centre forward.
Gasset’s opposite number Christian Gourcuff picked Simon to start the game.
The winger was lively all evening, stretching the Bordeaux backline a number of times. Simon, who was named Nantes player of the 2019-20 season, played all of the 90 minutes.
At the other end of the pitch, Simon’s international team-mate — Maja — struggled.

The 21-year-old striker — one of the Girondins top scorers last season — failed to justify his selection, though, and was withdrawn at the half-time break.
His strike partners Nicolas de Preville and Hwang Ui-jo did not also finish the game — with the latter making way for Kalu in the 75th minute.