Ligue 1 – Bouchouari, penalties, VAR, ASSE wins against MHSC

Olivier Dall'Oglio makes a change at the kick-off of this meeting for the twelfth day of the French Ligue 1 championship. With the absences of Nadé and Maçon, it is Yunis Abdelhamid and Dennis Appiah who find a place starter in the starting lineup. Up front, Sissoko is preferred to Stassin.

After a beautiful tribute to Rachid Mekhloufithe two teams engage in this poorly ranked match. It is Arnaud Nordinthe veteran of the green house who lights the first fuse in this meeting but he does not manage to deceive the vigilant Larsonneur (2'). Ibrahim Sissoko replied a few minutes later after an opening from Bouchouari behind the Hérault defense, without further success (9').

A quarter of an hour into the game, the match was interrupted for a few seconds after a joint action by the two teams and several dozen tennis balls thrown towards the pitch. At the restart, Saint-Étienne tried to bring danger to Lecomte's cages with a corner from Mouton well repelled by the visitors.

After a long observation phase between the two teams, Arnaud Nordin, untenable, plays Dylan Batubinsika on the left side, he crosses for Savanier in the axis who collapses in the area after supposed contact with Abdelhamid. Mr. Batta first points to the penalty spot and changes his mind after intervention by the VAR. The tackle of Younis Abdelhamid was superb, Savanier just had to push the ball into an empty cage (39'). After a calm end to the first period and four minutes of added time, the two teams parted ways with a parity score.

Saint-Étienne will be devilishly effective in the restart. After a corner from the Greens, Montpellier goes on the counter, Bouchouari breaks away to return and recovers the ball which goes back to the opponent, after an attack phase, Bouchouari again he inherits the leather at the entrance to the surface, he arms his shot and deceives with a shot on the ground Lecomte (1-0 47’). His first goal in Ligue 1. The Greens insist and try to quickly take cover in this match, Davitashvili goes for goal but fails to deceive the vigilance of the last Montpellier rampart (53'). Mr. Batta awards a second penalty to Montpellier for a foul by Pétrot at the entrance to the area, after a long viewing on the VAR screen, the referee cancels his initial decision. Distribution of yellow cards immediately for Montpellier residents mad with rage.

Olivier Dall'Oglio brings fresh blood to his team with the arrivals of Cafaro, Moueffek and Amougou 20 minutes from the end of the match. Larsonneur is called into action on a long shot from Coulibaly, the Greens goalkeeper repels the danger with both fists. Nordin continues to cause misery to Batubinsika, in a delicate situation this evening, Khazri for his part is rather clumsy, to the great pleasure of the 33,008 supporters present at Geoffroy-Guichard this evening.

After two final changes and a rather quiet end to the match despite the small lead in the score, the Greens returned to victory. Fourth success of the season, the fourth at home. In the rankings, ASSE temporarily rises to 13th place pending the rest of the day.

ASSE 1-0 MHSC (Half time 0-0)

Compo : Larsonneur, Pétrot, Abdelhamid, Batubinsika, Appiah, Mouton (Moueffek 70'), Ekwah, Bouchouari (Amougou 70'), Boakye (Cafaro 65'), Davitashvili (Cornud 87'), Sissoko (Stassin 87')

Goal: Bouchouari (47') for ASSE

Cards: Chotard, Nzingoula, Tchato, Sylla, Taamari for the MHSC; Davitashvili, Boakye, Bouchouari for ASSE