Coupe de France (5th round). Facing Pavie, a Regional 3 team, Nîmes Olympique (National) did not tremble this Saturday, October 14 on the Auch lawn. The Crocos knew how to make the match easy and did the job perfectly.
Facing Pavie, a Regional 3 team, they remained unfazed! Late Saturday afternoon, in Auch (Gers), where the match had been relocated, the Crocos appeared cold and professional, even if there were eight amateurs lying on the match sheet. They qualified without trembling for the sixth round of the Coupe de France. There was a gap of five divisions between the two teams.
Serious from start to finish
In a good-natured atmosphere and conditions typical of the first rounds (high grass, dim lighting), the Gersois only had the illusion for a few minutes, the first and, above all, the last (three saves from Nazih and two hot situations) . But they were not equipped to worry this juvenile team of Crocos, Wade, Sbaï and Laurens, the three oldest, showing just twenty-three springs.
#football #coupedefrance The Éric Carrière stadium in Auch where @nimesolympique (N) faces Pavie (R3) at 6 p.m. for the 5th round of the Coupe de France. Stadium with 1,490 seats including 300 in the stands. pic.twitter.com/dMXLECdQgc
— Midi Libre Sports (@MidiLibreSports) October 14, 2023
“I am happy and proud of my players, Frédéric Bompard could only congratulate himself at the end of the match, he who had arranged his team in 4-4-3. The main thing was to be present at the draw for the next round, that will be the case. I really liked the behavior of the whole team. The players (whom the croc technician didn’t let go of a single thing, Editor’s note) were serious from the first to the last minute and the entrants also brought something. I applaud them all with both hands. The danger was to show complacency, that was not the case. We respected the adversary. As much as we can to score goals, you have to score them, while remaining simple in the game, which we were able to do.”
The double for the Ngakoutou-Laurens-Thoumin trio
This introduction to the Coupe de France was an opportunity to give playing time to certain elements less used in the championship. This was above all the case in attack for the Ngakoutou-Laurens-Thoumin trio who more than did the job. Each had a double (Laurens’ third goal was canceled for offside, 56th), the last two even adding an assist to their performance.
“An attacker, when he scores, he gains confidence so they have gained some, it’s a good thing”, did not fail to remind Frédéric Bompard, who must also have appreciated the two decisive passes delivered by Delpech, who wore the captain’s armband, and Sbaï.
The 7 goals of the Crocos in detail
0-1 Thoumin plays a two-handed corner with Laurens whose cross is headed by Ngakoutou (21st).
0-2 Thoumin throws Ngakoutou on the edge of offside. The defense stops, not the attacker who goes to deceive Borlin (22nd).
0-3 Over the defense, Delpech’s long ball is recovered by Thoumin who lobbies Borlin and then pushes the ball into the back of the net (40th).
0-4 Offset by Sbaï on the right side, Laurens opens his left foot and finds the opposite net (48th).
0-5 Sbaï’s cross into the area is headed by Laurens in the heart of the area (53rd).
0-6 Delpech throws Thoumin to the left; his shot hits the mark (72nd).
0-7 Thoumin shifts to the left Paget whose center is taken in full flow and closely by Doucet (84th).
Enough to shake up a hierarchy that has been well established for several matches and encourage it to modify its typical team? “I said that I didn’t have a plan B,” the croc technician replied with a smile. “Well, there is perhaps a plan B in the works…” No excitement. Bompard didn’t really find potential starters but he at least saw that he had solutions that held up on the bench.
And now, head for Dijon which, for its part, qualified by beating Avallon (R2) 5-1 with half of the starters. “That’s it, I already have my mind set for this match,” concluded Bompard before getting on the bus.
Pavie (R3) – Nîmes (N): 0-7 (0-3).
Auch, Éric Carrière stadium. Spectators: 1,420. Referee: Jean-Guillaume Dasque.
Goals for Nîmes: Ngakoutou (21st, 22nd), Thoumin (40th, 72nd), Laurens (48th, 53rd), Doucet (84th).
NÎMES: Nazih – Azzabi (Paget, 63rd), Lamgahez, Paviot – Khalid (Hermach, 70th), Wade, Delpech (cap.), Sbaï – Laurens (Doucet, 74th), Ngakoutou, Thoumin.
#Nîmes #Olympique #Pavie #Crocos #remained #impassioned #appearing #cold #professional
