Except for the Martigues setback (2-4), FC Annecy continued its consistent start to the season. Four days after a good point taken in Brittany (2-2) at the Guingamp team, who were then leading the championship, the Haut-Savoyards did the job, professionally, against the poorly ranked Trojans.
FCA took advantage of this to win a first set point in the race for survival and push the bottom team back to ten points after six days. Always good to take even if we will be careful not to bury ESTAC as the crazy comeback of Annecy last spring is still in a good position in the memories.
The Escales show
Annecy built this sluggish victory on the foundations of its good start and an opening goal on the first real shot on target of the game, if we exclude Demoncy’s missed lob from the halfway line (4e). With Billemaz at the conclusion of a school move initiated by a high recovery from the midfielder trained at PSG on a Trojan touchline (1-0, 11e). A first goal this season for the left-back and a first assist for Djoco.
In an ideal position, FCA will nevertheless let ESTAC handle the ball and be satisfied with the only attempts, off target, by Djoco (16e) and Demoncy (28e). And let Troyes hope with M’Changama countered by Drouhin (17e), Irié next door (26e) and Ba above (33rd). A dangerous play very close to being exploited by Diop at the penalty spot after a support on Irié. An equalizer pushed back by the high-class horizontal from Escales on his right (38e).
Annecy had been hot and was still trembling all over after the break when Irié alerted Diop behind the defense. His cross back found Ba in the six-yard box and it took another great Escales, opposite hand, to avoid disaster (51e).
In the middle of the turbulence zone, FCA finally opened an eye with Kashi for a ball from Billemaz aimed at Larose to end up in Boucher’s small net (56e). Fortunately, the Haute-Savoie club could count on a wide-awake goalkeeper with a new save on his line to frustrate Diop (66e).
To take on considerable importance in the three points pocketed in suffering by his own. A capital victory to point at the foot of the podium, one point behind the leader Metz.
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Reactions
Laurent Guyot, FC Annecy coach: “I am very happy with the three points, especially against a very good team that put us in difficulty and created opportunities. We had a great Escales tonight that allowed us to maintain our advantage, but these are also matches that you have to know how to win, or at least not lose. You have to savour taking three points in difficult times, it is sometimes part of a season. It is even the first time in two years that in a somewhat decisive match to move up a bit, we managed to do it. We must highlight the remarkable state of mind of the group and the investment of the players on a daily basis to get this result. It is a victory acquired through skill thanks to experienced players, we saw it with N’Sakala who had the best player of the match in front of him and even if it was sometimes difficult, with experience, he handled the situation rather well.”
Stéphane Dumont, Troyes coach: “It’s a very strange feeling. On an accounting level, it’s not enough. I liked the content, the outpouring of energy, the ability to concede almost nothing against this team, to create clear opportunities. We came up against a good goalkeeper. We lacked efficiency in the match. We have to be able to turn things around in the right direction, but we are nevertheless on something very coherent. After a match like that, I have to be positive if we reproduce this kind of performance. We have to continue to persist and believe in it, even if it’s difficult to leave here with zero points.”
