FC Sochaux-Montbéliard

FC Sochaux-Montbeliard have been relegated from Ligue 1.

After a dismal start to the season, relegation looked a certainty. Then came a stirring revival, inspired by former Zambia manager Herve Renard, which saw the club take their fight for survival to the final day.

Sadly for Les Lionceaux fans, the great escape was not to be. In a winner-takes-all encounter, Evian triumphed 3-0 to send Sochaux down to Ligue 2.

Despite the loss, Sochaux end their 66-year stint in France's top division with their heads held high; in the last few weeks they have performed superbly and leave Ligue 1 with their pride restored.

After Sochaux's disastrous start to the campaign, few could have predicted the squad was capable of such a gutsy fightback. With half the season gone, Les Lionceaux had recorded just two wins. They languished six points from safety with the worst goal difference in the league (-24).

Away from home, they had only picked up a solitary point, while at Stade Auguste Bonal, they had only managed to find the net eight times.

Herve Renard, the coach who masterminded Zambia's Africa Cup of Nations triumph in 2012, joined the club in October yet took a while to find his feet in his first job in one of Europe's top divisions.

Renard's influence was seen in the January transfer window, as two key players from Zambia's winning squad joined the club. Striker Emmanuel Mayuka arrived on loan from Southampton, while Stoppila Sunzu, who scored the winning penalty in the 2012 final, was brought in from Congolese side TP Mazembe.

Another important arrival was Jordan Ayew. The forward, who had fallen out of favour at Marseille, injected Sochaux with pace and trickery on the flanks, scoring five goals as the club gradually narrowed the gap between themselves and safety.

With 10 games to go, Sochaux were still stranded deep in the relegation mire. Eight points from safety and with tough games to come, including against champions-elect PSG, any chance of survival seemed impossible.

In fact, it was at this point that something clicked in the Sochaux side. From week 31 to week 37 of the season, Renard's men strung together an incredible unbeaten run.

This sequence included a battling draw against PSG, not to mention a hard-fought victory away at Rennes. Stade de la Route de Lorient is a notoriously tough place to go, yet Sochaux scored twice to record a vital 2-1 win, with Mayuka grabbing the winner in the final stages.

So, to the final day, and a winner-takes-all match against Evian. Pascal Dupraz's side had hovered above the relegation zone all season, and defeat to Sochaux would see the sides swap places. It may have been improbable a few months ago, but Sochaux's destiny was finally in their own hands.

In the end, however, it proved one step too far for Sochaux's courageous squad. Renard only used a small group of players in the final games of the season, as the winning momentum invigorated the side, but on this final day, victory deserted them.

Les Roses, inspired by the brilliant Daniel Wass, ran out comfortable winners. The young Dane opened the scoring in the eighth minute with a stunning overhead kick and netted a third late on. It was also from his corner that Evian scored their vital second goal just before half-time. 

Ayew struck a post before the break, but in truth, Sochaux never looked like turning the match around, and the final whistle brought with it the death-knell of relegation.

However, despite the drop, Les Lionceaux deserve praise for their tremendous tenacity and belief in fighting on until the final day. 

Herve Renard has since departed the club, but his tenure, although ultimately unsuccessful, will be remembered.

So near and yet so far, Sochaux came desperately close to pulling off one of the all-time great efforts to beat the drop. They will be down in Ligue 2 next season and will be greatly missed from France's top division.

Jordan Ayew scored one goal and created another as FC Sochaux-Montbeliard overcame OGC Nice 2-0 on Monday to move within a point of safety.

On loan from Marseille, the 22-year-old inspired Les Lionceaux to extend their unbeaten run to six games, meaning their improbable escape from relegation remains on track.

Ayew, who has now scored four goals since arriving from Marseille, said in the buildup to the game that he has the qualities to succeed at the Stade Velodrome. He told Ligue1.com that he was enjoying playing regularly, but that he saw his future with OM.

"There's nothing better than playing every weekend," he said. "That's what Sochaux gives me, so I'm happy here.

"I'm capable of being an undisputed first-team regular at Marseille. For the moment, I want to play well at Sochaux and go to the World Cup. We'll see after that."

Ayew made seven starts for Marseille before his loan switch to Sochaux in January, and while he is by no means guaranteed a place in the Marseille team next season, his recent form has demonstrated that he is a talented, tricky player who can cause defences problems.

This was the case this weekend, as his clever, industrious performance was vital in Sochaux's victory over OGC Nice.

Herve Renard's side have now taken 12 points from their last six games, including a gutsy 1-1 draw at home to champions-elect Paris Saint-Germain and a hard-fought 1-0 away victory over Stade de Reims.

This remarkable run has seen them climb to just a point from safety, and their final-day game against Evian looks increasingly pivotal in their fight for survival. On current form, Sochaux will be confident that they can take all three points from that match and secure their top-flight status.

Ayew has typified the club's fine late-season form.

The youngster has been bright and fearless—an attitude that has grown throughout the team and seen them play with greater belief and a more attacking outlook. 

This was exactly the case against OGC Nice this weekend, as Ayew stood out with his guile and inventiveness from the wing in the first half. He scored the fourth goal of his loan spell in the second to seal victory.

It was Sochaux who broke the deadlock just before the break. Although it was Nice defender Nemanja Pejcinovic who turned the ball into his own net, the Sochaux players all ran to congratulate Ayew.

The Ghanaian picked the ball up on the left flank, setting off on a mazy run past three defenders into the box. His stabbed ball across goal was sliced home by the unfortunate Pejcinovic to give Sochaux the lead.

Ayew ended the first half on a high and began the second period with similar vigour. After only a minute, he rattled a shot across goal. Just 10 minutes later, he had doubled Sochaux's lead.

Nice goalkeeper David Ospina had saved well from Ayew at the opening of the second half, but could do nothing about Sochaux's second. A fine, flowing team move was rounded off brilliantly, as Ayew rose between two defenders to powerfully head home a glancing finish into the far corner.

Ayew is playing like a man full of confidence. He is always positive in possession, looking to drive forward with the ball at every opportunity.

He has benefitted greatly from his spell with Sochaux and will go into the World Cup in Brazil on a high.

His move to the Stade Auguste Bonal has suited both parties, as his trickery and creativity have been central to their recent run of form. If they can continue their surge, it will be a remarkable transformation—one that Ayew has certainly played his part in.

Regardless of whether they survive relegation, it is unlikely Ayew will be playing for Les Lionceaux next season.

He will be back at the Stade Velodrome, but back with a renewed confidence that comes from regular playing time. The loan system is frequently criticised, but Ayew's case is a good example of how it can be beneficial to both player and club.