After both experiencing the bottom of the standings this season, the Verts and the hake have managed to raise their heads, but find themselves neck and neck: the visitors from Saint-Etienne are virtual roadblockers (18th) with 27 points, Lorient (16th) is only one step aheadtied with Clermont (17th).
Before, Troyes and Angers move away (14th and 15th, 32 points) and behind, the Sunday duel between Bordeaux and Metz (19th and 20th, 23 points) could allow one of the two to get closer.
Saint-Etienne and Lorient, who have each just been corrected by a cador (4-2 against OM for the Greens, 5-1 in Paris for the Merlus) know that they have no more time or points to loose.
Especially since the rest of the Championship does not look easy. The Greens will still have two games to win in the coming weeks (Brest and Bordeaux) before gritting their teeth against Monaco, Rennes or Nice.
Lorient will also have to face Rennes, Nice and Marseillebut will also cross Bordeaux and Metz and will end the season against Trojans probably out of the woods.
“Lack of juice”
However, the Greens have been marking time since they left the red zone, perhaps paying for the efforts made to extricate themselves from the abyss. In their last six matches, they have only won oneagainst Metz in early March (1-0).
“You must not panic”, assures coach Pascal Dupraz, who has been concerned, however, since his arrival in December, about the shortcomings of his workforce on the physical level. “There is a kind of lack of juice that we will have to think about,” he noted again on Sunday.
Moreover, his top scorer, Wahbi Khazri (9 goals), injured, will still be forfeited on Friday. And the defense seems at breaking point, deprived of Falaye Sacko, the best recruits of the winter transfer window. Eliaquim Mangala is not very sure as soon as the game accelerates, Bakary Sacko suffered against Marseille.
And you don’t have to count on Mahdi Camara | to troubleshoot aft this week. The midfielder was sidelined for five days after violently attacking a young reserve goalkeeper.
“More pragmatic”
Opposite, the Lorient attack has strengthened this winter with the revelation of Sambou Soumano, mounted from the reserve, and the arrival at the end of January of Ibrahima Koné. Same Terem Moffidown this year, has scored twice in the last four matches.
But the Hakes, who had snatched the maintenance last year thanks to an insolent success at home and despite total helplessness outside, seem to have changed matrix.
Since mid-February, they have taken seven points from four away matcheswith two victories in Brest and Clermont, the first outside Moustoir for more than 18 months.
“In our position, it’s the points that count. You have to be a little more pragmatic, be very strong defensively,” explained coach Christophe Pélissier in Clermont. A sign that he has been heard, Lorient has kept his clean sheets four times in his last seven matches, as much as in the previous 23.
But at the same time, the Hakes are now feverish at home. Since mid-February, they have gleaned only one point in 3 matches. On Friday, however, they will be able to count on the support of several thousand young licensees invited thanks to a partnership with the department.
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