Nantes ends winless run against 10-man Toulouse

PARIS (AP) — Abdoulaye Toure and Ludovic Blas scored as Nantes beat 10-man Toulouse 2-1 Sunday to end a five-match winless run in the French league.

With its first win since Oct. 5, Nantes came within a point of the league’s top three.

Last-place Toulouse had its fifth consecutive loss.

During a scrappy first half of few chances, a turning point came in the 24th minute when midfielder Kouadio Kone was sent off for a second yellow card.

Nantes tried to take advantage of the space left by Toulouse’s defense but missed three consecutive chances near the half-hour mark before referee Florent Batta awarded the hosts a penalty following a handball in the box.

Toure converted from the spot before Blas, who was influential throughout, sealed Nantes’ win with a powerful strike under the bar for his second goal this season.

Aaron Leya Iseka pulled one back deep in stoppage time.