Ligue 2 Roundup: Troyes Stumble, Le Mans Surge, and Red Star Suffer Defeat
Reims missed a chance to temporarily claim the top spot in Ligue 2 after being held to a 0-0 draw against Bastia, the league’s bottom team, on Friday. The result came during the 22nd matchday of the season, which also saw Red Star suffer a heavy 3-0 defeat to Pau.
Despite dominating possession and creating numerous opportunities against Bastia, Karel Geraerts’ Reims side were unable to find the back of the net. The draw allows league leaders Troyes to retain their position, though they hold only a two-point advantage after their upcoming Saturday match against Nancy. Reims now sit on 39 points.
The stalemate is being viewed as a positive result for Bastia, who move to 16 points and close the gap to safety to three points behind Amiens.
Red Star experienced a difficult evening at the Stade Bauer, falling 3-0 to Pau. The second half proved particularly damaging for the hosts, who conceded a penalty converted by Julien Anziani in the 52nd minute. Pau capitalized on Red Star’s struggles, adding two further goals to secure a comfortable victory in the 68th and 86th minutes.
Pau’s win lifts them to 7th place with 34 points. Red Star, who have now gone three matches without a win, are currently on 37 points and face a challenge from Saint-Étienne, also on 34 points, who play Montpellier on Saturday.
Elsewhere in Ligue 2, Dunkerque’s hopes of climbing into the promotion places were dashed by a 0-0 draw against Guingamp, with the Guingamp goalkeeper proving a formidable obstacle for the Dunkerque attack.
Rodez secured a 2-1 victory at Boulogne, thanks to a brace from Taïyrik Arconte, moving them to 11th place with 30 points. Annecy and Grenoble played to a 1-1 draw, with Annecy remaining on 32 points and Grenoble on 26.
According to web search results, Le Mans continues to impress, extending their unbeaten run to 15 matches with a 1-0 victory over Dunkerque on Monday, January 27, 2026. Erwan Colas scored the decisive goal in the 49th minute, lifting Le Mans to fourth place with 35 points, six behind Troyes and level with Reims.
The promotion race in Ligue 2 is tightening, with several teams vying for a place in the top flight. Troyes, despite their recent slip-up, remain the team to beat, but Reims and Le Mans are closing the gap. Red Star’s recent form is a concern, and they will need to rediscover their winning touch if they are to maintain their promotion challenge.
On December 13, 2025, Red Star FC and Stade de Reims played to a 0-0 draw. The match, played at Stade de Paris in Saint-Ouen, saw both teams fail to break the deadlock. Both teams had 29 points at the time of the match.
