Abline's long-range volley gives Nantes 2-1 win at Paris and snaps five-game winless run

Nantes snapped a five-game winless streak as Matthis Abline’s long-range volley secured a 2-1 win at Paris FC on Friday to end the team’s worst start to a league season in more than a decade.

This was the first Ligue 1 match-up between the pair since the 1978-79 season and Nantes took the lead after just two minutes through Youssel El Arabi’s shot from just outside the area. Paris had an equalizer chalked off two minutes later following a video review but drew level after 15 minutes when Samir Chergui directed Pierre Lees-Melou’s weak volley into the goal from around 10 meters out.

However, Nantes went ahead again seven minutes before halftime when a defensive clearance fell to Abline 25 meters from goal, and he controlled the ball with one touch before volleying home a looping shot for his first goal of the season.

It handed Paris a second consecutive 2-1 loss and its recent encouraging run of 10 points from five games looks more and more distant. It remains in 11th place in Ligue 1 with 10 points from nine games.