Yet faced with a weak Red Star team, Clermont Foot was overtaken by the promoted team (1-1) on Tuesday evening and continues to struggle at home.
In football, and even more so in Ligue 2, there is one constant that rarely changes. Namely, winning your duels to gain the upper hand, and most often the advantage. Against Dunkirk, ten days ago, Clermont got caught in this game. And bowed to the slightly messy but never denied self-denial of Ch’tis who, in the absence of incredible talent, had displayed without letting go a grit that was ultimately rewarded.
Last night, when they presented themselves against Red Star, we thought that Clermont had learned their lesson, putting in the necessary ingredients from the outset. To them, the virtuous axiom: duels won, team rewarded. Because it is probably not by chance that this convincing start ended with a goal allowing them to immediately remove any real pressure.
Baaloudj, twice, and Diop failed against the goalkeeper in the second half
To this pretty little number of Baaloudj (see highlights, opposite) Added to this was a collective will which made it easy to take the measure of the weak Audonians for half an hour.
Yes, half an hour. And that’s the problem. Because then, Clermont Foot dozed off, leaving a Red Star that didn’t expect so much to regain its senses, its breath and even the direction of operations. A collective pit stop all the more incomprehensible since Saivet, better placed on his Aventine behind his three attackers, offered good solutions to a real playmaker position that was probably better suited to him.
And if the break came at the right time to restore order in the heads and on the field, this was not really seen during the restart. And despite a turnover at the heart of this week with three matches to regenerate the spirits, what we felt ended up happening at the end of a supersonic counter concluded a hundred meters further in the nets of Ndiaye (1-1, 65th).
A goal from Baaloudj and a disappointing draw in the end: what we learned from the Clermont Foot – Red Star match
There were two replies but Clermont fell back into the same trap that probably promises them a hellish season if they don’t resolve it very quickly: their terrible lack of efficiency. Twice, Baaaloudj first came up against goalkeeper Beunardeau and defender Escartin three metres from the Audonian goal (65th).
Less than twenty minutes later, served on the edge of offside by Diallo, Diop in turn lost his one-on-one and impaled himself on the Red Star goalkeeper. Obviously, by not scoring when such big chances present themselves, Clermont cannot hope for much. “I am frustrated and angry,” the coach even let slip after this observation.
For his Clermont Foot, his outings at home already resemble, after four episodes, a bad remake of the haunted house. Out of twelve points at stake, Clermont has already lost ten on its pitch, offered to all those who set foot on it. The (late) entry of Diedhiou has not changed anything.
Worse, during the seven minutes of stoppage time, we didn’t really feel any real revolt. Like a huge admission of helplessness. And yet, the affair could have really turned sour without a return to the Desesperado style signed by Da Silva in the feet of Fall (84th). Or even a little earlier on this flick from Renel at the near post which was not far from finishing its course in the goal of Ndaye.
Match highlights:
10th (1-0). Served at the edge of the area, Baaloudj got rid of the marking with a superb oriented control to then find the opening on the short side despite a desperate attempt from Beunardeau.
15e. Corner for Clermont, Magnin gets ahead of the Audonian goalkeeper but his header goes over the crossbar.
27e. On a ball lost in the middle of the field by Da Silva, Cisse leads the counter but his shot goes over Ndiaye’s bar.
65e (1-1). On a 100-meter counterattack, Red Star moved up the field in three passes. Served in the center, Benali easily deceived Ndiaye.
70e. Huge opportunity for Clermont with, first, a cannonball from Konate on the bar. Baaloudj has to finish but twice, he comes up against the goalkeeper and a defender.
76e. Served to the line, Renel takes the lead on the Clermont defense but his shot goes narrowly wide of Ndiaye’s goal.
Ligue 2: Clermont Foot only takes one point at home against Red Star (re-read the live)
The technical sheet:
CLERMONT-FERRAND (Stade Gabriel-Montpied). Clermont Foot and Red Star draw, 1-1 (half-time: 1-0 for Clermont). Referee: Mr. Taleb.
Buts. Clermont Foot : Baaloudj (10e). Red Star : Benali (65e).
Warnings. Clermont Foot: Konaté (20th), Ackra (82nd). Red Star: Cissé (30th).
?Clermont Foot. N’Diaye – Konaté, Da Silva, Jacquet (Mwimba, 79th), Diallo – Magnin (Bouchenna, 79th), Keïta, Saivet (cap.) (Ackra, 56th) – Diop, Baaloudj (Diedhiou, 79th), Bassouamina (Douane , 56th).
Not used: Guivarch, bricklayer.
Red Star. Beunardeau – Durivaux, Escartin, Kouagba (cap.), Hachem – Ifnaoui (Botella, 90th + 2), Dembi, Renel (El Hriti, 87th), K. Cissé (Durand, 58th) – Benali, Anani (Fall, 58th) .
Not used: Bonet (g), Mendy, Kany.
Valery Lefort
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