The shock between Martigues, second after the success of Concarneau at Avranches on Friday, and Dunkirk, his pursuer, will close the 30th day of National on Monday evening (9:00 p.m.). An unexpected face-to-face for the race for the climb between the promoted from N2 Provençal and the former resident of L2 northerner.
On one side, FC Martigues (photo Foued Kadir, captain, left)ridden from National 2, which we did not expect to be so well placed in view of its means, but which signs a magnificent course of regularity and poses as a very serious candidate for one of the two tickets giving access to the upper floor.
On the other, USL Dunkirk (photo Demba Thiam, captain, on the right)descended from Ligue 2, logically cited among the favorites in the championship, but whose ups and downs took him away from the top of the standings for a time, before making a thunderous comeback with seven successes in a row.
The two, tied on points (52), have an appointment Monday evening at the Francis-Turcan stadium (9 p.m., live on Canal + Foot) for the closing shock of the 30th day of National, likely to condition the rest of their respective trajectories.
0-1
The score of the first leg in favor of Martigues at the Marcel-Tribut stadium in Dunkirk, December 2
12
Martigues took 12 points in the last 7 days, while he had bagged 40 from J1 to J22
21
Dunkerque took 21 points in the last 7 days, while he had garnered 31 from J1 to J22
Karim Tlili, top scorer for Martégal this season with 9 goals (photo Philippe LE BRECH / APL / FFF).
MARTIGUES, THE INCREDIBLE SEASON
If FC Martigues waited a long time before returning to the National (last season in 2011-2012) in May 2022, this return could well be only a simple passage and better still a springboard towards Ligue 2 and the professionalism to which the club has not tasted since 2001-2002! This is the incredible performance that the promoted Provençal, leader of the National before the start of this 30th day, is about to achieve five days from the end. It is no longer maintenance that is now a question of the side of the Francis-Turcan stadium but of climbing.
« We are very proud of what we have put in place without it being an end in itself, you have to know how to create new objectives, confided coach Grégory Poirier to FFF.FR on March 17. So far, we are doing something good, even very good. We have the opportunity to believe in bigger things, but we have to give ourselves the means, continue to seek results together. There are ten days left, it’s still too early to talk about a final sprint. »
Today, the final sprint is well underway, and the FCM is leading it. With his next two opponents, in the space of four days, on his luggage rack: USL Dunkerque, Monday evening at home, and US Concarneau, Friday April 28 at the Guy-Piriou stadium. Two truth tests for Sang et Or who, if they managed to negotiate them well, could follow in the footsteps of SC Bastia (2020-2021), Le Mans FC (2018-2019), US Quevilly-Rouen Métropole (2017-2017) and GFCO Ajaccio (2011-2012), all moved quickly from National 2 to Ligue 2 thanks to two climbs in a row.
The key numbers
3
Martigues has lost only 3 matches this season (for 13 wins and 13 draws)
16
The Provençaux remained undefeated for 16 days in a row (from J2 to J18)
13
Leader since D25, FCM has been in the top two rankings since D17, i.e. 13 days
47
With 47 goals scored, the Sang et Or have the second best attack behind Concarneau (50 before J30)
The end of the FC Martigues season
- J30 – Monday, April 24 (9:00 p.m.) : FC Martigues – USL Dunkirk
- J31 – Friday, April 28 (7:30 p.m.) : US Concarneau – FC Martigues
- J32 – Monday, May 15 (6:30 p.m.) : FC Martigues – AS Nancy Lorraine
- J33 – Friday, May 19 (9:00 p.m.) : FC Borgo – FC Martigues
- J34 – Friday, May 26 (9:00 p.m.) : FC Martigues – FC Versailles
DUNKERQUE, THE INCREDIBLE SERIES
Two draws and three defeats (in a row), this is the record of USL Dunkerque from the 16th to the 22nd day of the championship. Nothing that allowed us to imagine the incredible series that would follow, presented today by the northern club, relegated from Ligue 2 in 2022: seven wins in a row! Absolute record of the season for Dunkirk unable, before that, to chain more than two successes in a row (J3 and J4 then J8 and J9)…
Since the 23rd day of March 3, Berrichonne Châteauroux (1-0), Stade Briochin (0-3), FC Villefranche-Beaujolais (3-2), CS Sedan-Ardennes (1-3), Red Star FC (1-0), Paris 13 Atletico (0-2) and US Avranches MSM (2-0) were carried away by the victorious march of the Maritimes by Mathieu Chabert, whose arrival as coach, in replacement of Romain Revelli, corresponds with the beginning of this series.
The USLD was then in 7th place in the rankings and the speech of the new coach was clear: “I have already come to ensure the 42 points necessary to maintain, he said to FFF.FR on March 10. It’s always capital but even more so this season with this greater number of runs. We must therefore obtain the two or three victories that we are missing, and only then can we talk about something else. » Seven victories later (15 goals scored, 3 conceded), Dunkirk, back at the forefront, can now speak of a return to Ligue 2.
The key numbers
7
Rank wins (best current series) for Dunkirk, which imitates Stade Lavallois (2021-2022)
9
The Northerners were 9 points behind Martigues on the evening of J22. They are now tied.
27
The USLD has the best defense in the National with 27 goals conceded (0.93 per game)
2
Mathieu Chabert has already had two promotions to Ligue 2, with Béziers (2018) and Bastia (2021)
The end of the USL Dunkirk season
- J30 – Monday, April 24 (9:00 p.m.) : FC Martigues – USL Dunkirk
- J31 – Friday, April 28 (7:30 p.m.) : USL Dunkirk – Le Puy Foot 43
- J32 – Friday, May 12 (6:30 p.m.) : Bourg-en-Bresse Péronnas – USL Dunkirk
- J33 – Friday, May 19 (9:00 p.m.) : USL Dunkirk – US Orleans
- J34 – Friday, May 26 (9:00 p.m.) : Le Mans FC – USL Dunkirk
Rayan Ghrieb, top scorer (8) for USL Dunkerque in this championship (photo Marie BASSERY / FFF).
THE RESULTS OF THE 30TH DAY
CLASSIFICATION
THE NEXT DAY
#Martigues #Dunkirk #crossroads #destinies
