Unable to shine in its last five outings, LOSC unleashed all its rage on the pitch at Stade Océane this Saturday, sinking Le Havre AC (0-3) in front of a stunned Normandy audience.
In a few weeks, the sea air of Le Havre will tire of the freshness of the grass and vibrate to the rhythm of the sound, that of the artists who will perform during Ouest Park, a festival which will take place at Fort de Tourneville during the month of October. Already in the mood, the Normans wore tunics flocked in the name of the headliners (Niska, Mc Solar, Yamê, French79…) of this event. However, already projected into the future, they will be caught by the Mastiffs, unable to follow the intensity imposed by their vibration.
The film of the meeting
Five consecutive matches without success, it was launched on this poor dynamic that LOSC traveled to Normandy this Saturday. Opposed to Le Havre, a historically disadvantaged opponent, his men showed a certain desire from the outset. This resulted in a first alert, resulting from a first attempt by Jonathan David (6′) with a header. Arthur Desmas opposed it, like a similar shot slowed by his fingertips when it was going to be lobbed by the tip of the Canadian’s skull (8′). A real highlight for Lille, followed by a blocked shot then a corner, which led to an attempt by Benjamin André stopped at the last minute following a volley from the ghost named Alexsandro. Hostilities are more underway than ever, the Mastiffs seem ready to capsize the thousand Lille residents who came to support them.
After a brief timeout, but in total control, LOSC pressed on the acceleration after half an hour of play. Frustrated by the lack of a clear situation, Edon Zhegrova tried to force the lock by the force of his support. However, he missed his face-to-face meeting. Until now, the Mastiffs have been unable to hit the mark, an efficiency swept away by the ingenuity of Osame Sahraoui. Found in the small space, he manages to deflect the leather onto Jonathan David who cannot miss the impossible, alone in front of the cages (23′). The duo does not stop there. Carried away in their momentum, the two men did it again less than ten minutes later. Found by Tiago Santos, the Moroccan deflects the ball with the outside of his foot to serve Jonathan David on the edge of offside. The Canadian finishes with the same foot area (35′). The action is magical!
Some tactical considerations
In addition to these repeated actions, Bruno Genesio’s men continually switch and permute. Edon Zhegrova and Osame Sahraoui, in particular, are making their counterparts go crazy, who no longer knows who to target. At the heart of the game, Angel Gomes is in the same dynamic, not hesitating to dezone when Benjamin André, in another register, finds himself lower than usual, almost in the role of third central defender (right axis ).
Ultra dominated during the first act, Le Havre AC only had two situations, including one which could well have ended in a trip. A shot supposed to end in the niche, almost slipped between Chevalier’s legs (26′). More fear than harm fortunately… A little later, it was Zhegrova who, following a loss of bullet, gave a cartridge to the locals. The latter missed the target and returned to the locker room frustrated.
Back on the field, the LOSC players could feel at home, welcomed by a second tifo and pyrotechnic devices of all kinds. From white and red, the Stade Océane temporarily abandoned the blue. However, it was the locals who returned with much better intentions for the meeting. Lucas Chevalier had to stop a header at close range, then a face-to-face with Sabbi, who had barely entered the game. The Le Havre team continued, offering themselves multiple situations, but did not manage to reduce the score. This highlight concluded with a header which passed flush with the Lille goalkeeper’s post. This will be the last thrill in the Lille area.
In management, LOSC will take advantage of the impetus given by the changes to control and demonstrate cutting edge. This is how Jonathan David scored a hat-trick. This time, he headed past Arthur Desmas (79′) when receiving a cross from Edon Zhegrova at the far post. The Canadian scores his 3rd hat-trick in Ligue 1, his 4th with LOSC in all competitions. He also seems to enjoy playing with Le Havre, whom he had already cracked three times during Le Havre’s reception at Pierre-Mauroy during the previous season. To conclude the show, Angel Gomes had the ball for the fourth goal between his feet, but missed his penalty attempt in added time (90+5′). Lille’s victory nevertheless remains complete (0-3), the one which had eluded them for more than a month.
Le Havre AC 0-3 LOSC (0-2)
Ligue 1 McDonald’s – D6 – Saturday September 28 – 7 p.m. – 21,369 spectators (1045 Lille residents)
Buts : David (23′, 35′, 79′) for LOSC
Warning(s) : Kechta (45′) for Le Havre AC
LOSC : Chevalier – Santos (Meunier 82′), Diakité, Alexsandro, Gudmundsson (Bakker 74′) – B. André (Bouaddi 82′), André Gomes – Zhegrova (Mbappé 85′), Angel Gomes, Sahraoui (Cabella 74′) – David
Coach : Bruno Genesio
Le Havre AC : Desmas – Sangante, Youte, Lloris – Nego, Touré, Kechta (Ngoura 59′), Operi – Casimir (Kuzyaev 58′), Joujou (Sabbi 59′) – Soumare
Coach : Didier Digard
