Football: eliminated from the French Cup, the Rafettes restart with disillusionment

Again and again frustration. Clearly, this season is really not going as hoped for the Rafettes, who are sailing two points from the red zone in the Second League and who were knocked out in the round of 16 of the Coupe de France this afternoon. An elimination, at the end of a match lost sharply by three goals to zero against Thonon-Évian, an opponent in the championship, which is enough to give some headaches to the Ruthenois, who came to the edge of Lake Geneva to get back into rhythm before the championship resumes next Saturday. “We had control of the game, but we were not realistic, regrets the blood and gold coach Karima Taïeb, also pointing out the three goals conceded by his team, despite their domination. It’s hard. But this is high-level Football. If we concede three goals, it’s because we have flaws and we lacked discipline.”

A fatal goal before the break

It is undoubtedly in the first half that the Aveyronnaises, still deprived of their captain Solène Barbance who was serving the last of her five suspension matches, can harbor the most regrets: “If we had scored our chances, we wouldn’t have been in so much trouble afterwards.” Especially since they paid a high price for their lack of realism just before heading to the locker room, with a goal for the locals in the 45th minute by Margot Esposito.

Annoyed by the wind after the break, according to their coach, the blood and gold were never able to find the fault in the Haute-Savoie defense. And this, despite the fact that they returned to the meadow “with the same intentions” than in the first half of the game. Something which ultimately did not prevent Thonon-Évian from making the break with Coline Stephen (70th), then perfecting her success with Salma Zemzem (90th +3).

With this elimination, Sophie Vaysse’s partners only have the championship to sink their teeth into, with their retention still far from certain. And the task does not look easy for their Second League resumption match, Saturday at 2:30 p.m., since it is the Toulouse women (3rd) who stand in front of them. A big challenge to start the year in Paul-Lignon!