Goals: Olatunji for Red (90e+2) for Sparta // Fernandes (37e) et Kairinen (CSC, 79e) for the Ty-Zefs
In a match that looked like the first final for qualification for the play-offs, at least, of the Champions League, Brest, still undefeated after three days (two wins and a draw), claimed the scalp of Sparta Prague at the Epet Arena (1-2). In the pre-match conference, Éric Roy judged that Brest's course in the Champions League was “already successful”. The Breton coach risks running out of adjectives to describe the epic of his flock, almost guaranteed to see the 16es final of a competition that they are playing for the first time in their history. As you read these lines, Brest is fourth in the regular phase of the Champions League. Crazy, yes.
Conquerors and rewarded
Against a sick Sparta Prague (four defeats in the last five matches), the Bretons start the meeting timidly. After some technical inaccuracies, the club from the city of Ponant made its mark in the opposing camp. With the precious Pierre Lees-Melou, omnipresent, the Ty-Zefs are intensively pressing the red, fearful, and Ludovic Ajorque is only a few centimeters away from surprising Peter Vindahl, not helped by a poorly assured back pass from Elias Cobbaut (13e). Aside from this slight thrill, the first act lacks intensity. Faced with the very low Czechs, who are returning to the Champions League for the first time in 19 years, the Brestois extend the game. On a perfect cross from Mama Baldé, Ajorque, again and again, plays his defender, attempts a recovery cross volley, but his attempt skims the post (26e). The Ty-Zefs will prove even more dangerous when Kenny Lala, near the central circle, finds Doumbia perfectly above the opposing defense, but the Malian international wastes this opportunity by taking the thigh leather (36e). In the process, Edimilson Fernandes takes advantage of a corner poorly cleared by the opposing defense to https://twitter.com/CanalplusFoot/status/1854263298801238185. Deserved.
Qualification is all right
Pumped up, the Brestois, anything but satisfied, are very close to trapping the locals with a high press, but the counter from the back of Ajorque does not take the direction of the goal (52e). Little worried since the start of the match, the Breton defense suffered at the hour mark. Finally dominant, the Czechs, who still have not managed the slightest shot in the 60the minute, think they have an opportunity, but Brendan Chardonnet perfectly interrupts the action with a tackle (59e). But very quickly, Éric Roy's men took back the reins: on an overflow on the left, Baldé crossed strongly towards Ajorque. The Réunionnais finds Mahdi Camara with a deviation as brilliant as it is lucky, but the former Stéphanois misses the break ball in a rather incomprehensible way (65e), before slipping onto a new offering from the Brest giant (74e). It was ultimately due to yet another error that the Czechs fell: after a catastrophic recovery from Vindahl, Ajorque recovered the lead, crossing towards Doumbia, but it was Kaan Kairinen who scored against his side (0-2, 79e). Despite Victor Olatunji's pawn of a volley after a mix-up in the Breton area at the very end of the match (1-2, 90e+2)the matter is in the bag, the little Brest Thumb therefore signs a third success in four Champions League matches and almost ensures, with 10 points, a place in the play-offs. Irrational. The dream has only just begun.
Relive the Sparta Prague-Brest match (1-2)
