Simon Ngapandouetnbu shines as Montpellier beat Rodez

Montpellier remain second in Ligue 2 after extending their winning run and staying within reach of leaders Saint-Etienne. The victory was also another strong showing from Cameroon international goalkeeper Simon Ngapandouetnbu, who started the rearranged ninth-round fixture at Rodez.

The teams were level at half-time before Nicolas Pays put Montpellier ahead in the 55th minute. Laciné Megnan-Pave added a second four minutes later, and Daryll Benlahlou completed the scoring in the 79th minute. Rodez made tactical changes but could not alter the outcome as Montpellier secured a 3-0 win.

The result was Montpellier’s fifth victory of the season, taking them to 18 points from nine matches. It followed their win over Grenoble and gave them consecutive league victories as they continue to challenge near the top of the table.

Ngapandouetnbu made two saves, including one from inside the penalty area, and touched the ball 54 times. He received a rating of 7.2 for his display. The 23-year-old has conceded only five goals across nine appearances and has recorded six clean sheets, underlining his contribution to Montpellier’s strong start.