Arkema Première Ligue week 4 results: Big Stadiums Day, Caroline Weir’s cracker and a teenage sensation

Arkema Première Ligue week 4 results: Big Stadiums Day, Caroline Weir’s cracker and a teenage sensation The Arkema Première Ligue is back after a League Cup break. OL Lyonnes and PSG still share the top spot ahead of their tightest clash in years after the international break, while a teenager’s breakthrough is turning heads in Normandy. Week 4 was also picked by the league’s organisers (LFFP) to host the second edition of the ‘Big Stadiums Day’. Read on for our roundup of the weekend in French football. Quality display despite overhyped ‘Big Stadiums Day’ The inaugural ‘Big Stadiums Day’ was a resounding success last season. Last March, the LFFP invited clubs to play at their men’s teams’ stadiums – if they were not already doing so – in a bid to boost attendance in the Arkema Première Ligue. The initiative proved hugely successful, attracting a total of 69,313 spectators, while the league’s single-match attendance record was set at Marseille’s Vélodrome, where 35,713 fans attended. This year, however, the second edition felt somewhat overstated, with Lyon and Nantes both releasing far from groundbreaking attendance figures. In reality, just two teams out of six played at a different stadium from their usual home ground. Other attendance numbers were not released at the time of this matchday report. Wonderkid comeback and Weir’s class spice up Lyon win But now, back to the football. After a goalless draw against Chelsea in their midweek UWCL fixture, OL Lyonnes found their scoring touch again as they hosted bottom-of-the-table Toulouse. A comfortable 5-0 win saw Ada Hegerberg draw level with teammate Melchie Dumornay at the top of the scoring charts, with her sixth goal of the season. Earlier, Inès Benyahia had opened the scoring with a perfectly struck, low-bouncing free-kick. Tabitha Chawinga, the elder of the Chawinga sisters, then rounded off a three-goal lead in the first half after finishing off a counter-attack led by Vicki Becho, who also played a key role in Hegerberg’s goal. View this post on Instagram Late in the second half, other players took the opportunity to shine against a harmless Toulouse side. Back from an ACL injury that kept her sidelined for a year, wonderkid Liana Joseph found the back of the net in just her second game since returning. Caroline Weir completed the ‘manita’ with a stunning long-range strike. The Scotland captain scored in her first league game with Lyon. PSG confident before heavyweight clash Just like Lyon, PSG also kept their four-game winning streak alive by dominating their neighbours Fleury (1-3). Teenager Léa Morissaint showed nerves of steel to convert a penalty before Nigerian internationals Jennifer Echegini and Rasheedat Ajibade extended PSG’s lead. Former Leicester City forward Shana Chossenotte pulled one back for Fleury with a clinical finish in the last quarter. Fresh from a thumping 5-0 win against OH Leuven in the UWCL, PSG are now ready to take on their biggest rivals. Paris FC climb onto the podium Trailing behind the French giants, Paris FC continue to prove they belong among the league’s elite. Buoyed by their midweek draw against Arsenal, the other Parisian club were in control against Lens. Attacking duo Mariam Toloba and Clara Mateo gave the hosts an early two-goal lead. Lens remained hopeful in a balanced game, with Paris FC registering 11 attempts to the visitors’ eight, until the 52nd minute, when Sang et Or captain Emma Smaali converted from the spot. But that was as good as it got for the visitors, and the scoreline could have been even harsher had Paris FC’s Manoly Baquerizo and Evelyne Viens not seen their efforts denied by the crossbar. View this post on Instagram One for the tight spaces, futsal specialist Toloba restored Paris FC’s two-goal lead before Anaëlle Le Moguédec’s header sealed the win (4-1). Paris FC move up one place and onto the podium, while Lens stay second from bottom. Marseille let victory slip in Strasbourg Les Marseillaises were heading for a big win at Strasbourg’s Stade de la Meinau. Ana-Maria Crnogorčević, played through by Kristin Kögel’s brilliant pass, put Strasbourg ahead, but Marseille quickly fought back to turn the game around. Habibou Ouedraogo and Mathilde Bourdieu led the revolt, putting the visitors ahead by half-time. Back out after the break, Ouedraogo kept the pressure on. The Ivorian international produced a brilliant swivel and finish after a fine piece of hold-up play. But what Nicolas Chabot’s team had not counted on was a Kristin Kögel masterclass. The German playmaker converted a penalty before curling home a brilliant equaliser for Strasbourg in stoppage time (3-3). Another setback for Marseille, who drop out of the top three. View this post on Instagram Le Havre can thank teenage sensation Gallais A new star is born in Le Havre. Eighteen-year-old striker Thaïs Gallais gave Saint-Malo a rough time, scoring twice with a penalty and a composed finish. Gallais, who signed her first professional contract this summer, is third in the scoring charts with four goals. Down to 10 players, the Normandes then held off a Saint-Malo comeback (2-0). Le Havre climb the table to fifth place. View this post on Instagram Penalty kicks settled the draw between Nantes and Montpellier (1-1). In the biggest attendance of Week 4’s ‘Big Stadiums Day’, with roughly 9,000 spectators at Stade de la Beaujoire, Aïrine Fontaine struck first in the first half for the visitors. Madeline Roth leveled the score in the second half, earning Nantes a point but leaving them still waiting for their first win of the season. As the APL heads into the international break, all eyes will turn to the Parc des Princes in two weeks, as PSG host Lyon for the first top-of-the-table clash of the season. Other notable games include Marseille hoping to bounce back against Fleury and surprising Le Havre taking on Montpellier. Related articles from Her Football Hub: ÖFB-Frauen Bundesliga results: Austria Wien make history, Graz hold Pölten and Südburgenland earn first win ŽNK Ljubljana: The Slovenian cup winners fighting for stability Liga F match-day 5 results: Super subs Däbritz and Schröder fire Real Madrid to thrilling win