In a thrilling match at Stade de la Beaujoire, Nantes secured their first victory in six matches and improved their chances of survival in the French Ligue 1 with a 1-0 win against Ajaccio on Saturday evening.

The result was all the more impressive given that Nantes were trailing 0-1 at half-time thanks to a goal from Djibril Sidibe for Ajaccio. But they responded brilliantly in the second half, with a well-worked move ending with the decisive strike coming from midfielder Moussa Diabaté.

The win has lifted Nantes out of the relegation zone and into eighth place in the table, just two points behind ninth-placed Monaco who have played one game more than them. It is also a morale booster for manager Rudi Garcia, who had previously spoken about the need for his team to show more resilience and fight for every point.

"We needed this win," said Garcia. "We showed a lot of character and determination in the second half. We knew we could come back and that's what we did."

Diabaté, who scored his first league goal since November, was delighted with the win: "It's great for everyone. It's not easy to get three points away from home but it's a big moment for us."

Despite the win, there will be concerns for Nantes as they face difficult fixtures ahead, including a trip to Paris Saint-Germain next weekend. But the victory has given them something to build upon and could help them avoid the drop this season.