Valenciennes finally claim away victory

Valenciennes claimed their first Ligue 1 away win of the season at the 12th attempt as first-half goals by Renaud Cohade and Gael Danic saw off Dijon 2-1. The result took the visitors above Dijon in the table and meant the hosts, who scored a late consolation through Gregory Thil, have now won just one of their last seven league matches. Valenciennes had taken just two points from their previous 11 league road trips but flew out of the blocks with a second-minute goal by Cohade. He took advantage of some hesitation by Samuel Souprayen which allowed him to run in on goal and apply a cool finish which was too good for Dijon goalkeeper Baptiste Reynet. The lead was almost doubled just before the quarter-hour when Gregory Pujol's cross evaded Souprayen and fell to Foued Kadir, but his effort was blocked, before Dijon threatened for the first time in the 18th minute when Benjamin Corgnet's effort was parried by visiting goalkeeper Nicolas Penneteau and cleared by Nicolas Isimat-Mirin. Danic doubles the lead Valenciennes came close again as the game approached the 30-minute mark as Cohade centred for Pujol, who nodded the ball down into the path of Jose Saez but he failed to hit the target. The second goal arrived three minutes before the break as a shot by Pujol was blocked, but Danic made no mistake with a close-range header. Pujol almost made it three midway through the second period after bringing a long ball under his spell and cutting past his marker, but just failed to keep his effort down. Dijon came to life in the final moments but it was too little, too late. First Thomas Guerbert teed up Corgnet for a shot which Penneteau was able to parry wide, before Eric Bautheac's free-kick was flicked on by Corgnet and Thil's far-post header found the net.