This match was an opportunity for Antoine Kombouare to show the renewal of his team and the possibility of taking a small safety margin before the final sprint. Nothing happened and the club is once again in bad shape.
FC Nantes: Lafont – Amian, Cömert (41′), Castelletto, Cozza – Chirivella, Douglas Augusto (Moutoussamy, 86′), Sissoko (Traore, 86′) Mollet (Coco, 76′), Abline, Mohamed (A . Bamba, 76′).
O LYON : Lopes – Maitland-Niles, O’Brien, Caleta-Car, Tagliafico – Tolisso (Cherki, 60′), Matic, Casqueret – Nuamah (Fofana, 76′), Benrahma (Baldé, 86′), Lacazette (Orban , 86′).
La Beaujoire sounded hollow at kick-off, only reasoning with the coaches’ instructions.
But this void does not disturb the 22 players since from the fifteenth second, Lyon creates an opportunity! No harm, but the Rhone intentions are clear: Pierre Sage’s men came to win and continue their climb up the rankings.
The people of Nantes do not see it that way and are showing dynamism, solidity and solidarity. A quarter of an hour into the game, Sissoko’s new positioning paid off, he recovered the ball in midfield and served Florent Mollet on the right wing. Perfect cross for Matthis Abline who, with his head, cuts the trajectory of the ball at the near post and deceives Lopes. The young striker blows the Lyon stopper and thus scores his third goal of the season, proving Antoine Kombouaré right who has decided to now make him a starter.
Three minutes later, he was on the verge of a double by skillfully eliminating his direct opponent to face the Lyon goalkeeper. It was without counting on the two hands of Antony Lopès… Perhaps the turning point of the match because at 2-0, the match would have taken a different turn. Nantes will look for this break goal by Mohamed in particular without achieving this objective before half-time.
Returning from the locker room, Lyon pulled out its claws and little by little settled into Nantes’ half of the game. But not just the claws. In the 52nd minute, during an aerial duel Alexandre Lacazette elbowed Zézé in the temple and on the eyebrow. The young defender sees red, having his face covered in blood. But the referee only sees yellow, issuing a simple warning to the Lyon striker. Even the VAR will not be consulted… A second turning point in the match.
From then on, the yellow-and-green eleven crumbled and little by little abandoned the game to the Lyonnais who multiplied the incursions in front of Lafont’s goals. The defense panics and here comes Lacazette again. He is again in full light when he tackles a clearance from poor Zézé and sends the ball into the Nantes goal which Lafont had saved twice in the preceding seconds (75th).
Zézé is undoubtedly in a fog following his injury but the whole team is taking a hit on the head. Two minutes later, the still stunned Nantes allowed the young Fofana to score his first professional goal. The Canaries completely gave in to the Rhone machine which perfectly controlled the end of the game, taking advantage of the very effective entry of Rayan Cherki.
Mass has been said. Orban’s third goal (97th), while Nantes rush like desperadoes into the Lyon camp, is only anecdotal. Nantes loses its 7th consecutive match at La Beaujoire in the championship. The people of Nantes are in despair watching TV.
The FCN is only two small points ahead of the first play-off while difficult matches against Rennes, Brest, Lille and Monaco are looming. And Le Havre next Sunday. After the fall and the closed session, the wall? Existential question…