Published15. August 2024, 22:29
Football: Eliminated by Braga, Servette will have to face Chelsea
After the 0-0 in the first leg, the Grenat were beaten 1-2 at La Praille by the Portuguese in the 3rd qualifying round of the Europa League. To see the Conference League, they will have to eliminate the Blues.
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Servette’s Gaël Ondoua (centre) and Enzo Crivelli will not play in the Europa League final phase this season.
Bastien Galley
The hope of a new European season is losing life at Servette. To reach the final phase of the Conference League, the Grenat will have to be able to eliminate Chelsea in the play-off that will be played over the next two weeks. Because on Thursday, during the return match of the 3rd qualifying round of the Europa League, the Genevans cracked against Braga, losing 1-2 at La Praille, a week after the 0-0 obtained in Portugal.
There will be legitimate regrets, even if perhaps a little overblown. Servette probably does not have the European background of a Braga, but over the course of a double confrontation, the gap was first made on details. And perhaps if the Grenat had found the fault before the 91st minute, with this counter-attack led by Guillemenot and finished by Kutesa, the feat would have been possible.
Less control than on the outward journey
The fact remains that in the game of the most tenuous limits, the action of the Portuguese 0-1 on Thursday was a frustrating example: it all started with a Servettian action in the opposing camp, with a ball lost by Mazikou, just before the break. There, the Grenat would have been well advised to be more reactive to slow down the development of the action. It was then the game of compensations that was neglected: Douline let Ricardo Horta center towards Vitor Gomez (forgotten behind him by Ondoua, who had taken Mazikou’s role). The latter’s pass was an offering for El Ouazzani, who finally unlocked this duel.
Because the 0-0 in the first leg had spawned youngsters in Servette’s minds: the idea that had germinated was that with intensity, there was something to hinder Braga. That’s true. But in Portugal, Servette was right in its intentions when recovering, and much more technically lively. On Thursday, everything was a little less well controlled with the ball. Like this ball recovered by Gaël Ondoua thirty meters from the Portuguese goal: the three against two should have allowed Antunes to be put in a good position (36th). Bad choice.
Sentenced to the feat against Chelsea
And when everything was fair, on the biggest opportunity for the Grenat (Cognat launches Douline, who crosses in front of the goal), Enzo Crivelli threw himself but missed the target, taking away a goal ball from Magnin (52nd). It would have been good not to have missed it. That has to be paid for, sooner or later. In the 69th minute, to be exact: capable of stringing together passes in the Geneva area, the Portuguese cleanly found the fault through Roberto Fernandez, served in front of the goal by Victor Gomez.
So there will be no Europa League this season for the Grenat. Maybe it can’t happen every year. Especially since an adventure in the Conference League loses a lot of credit, given the opponent, the worst possible. No matter, we will have to play it, and why not dream of an exploit. See you next Thursday at Stamford Bridge, before the return to La Praille on August 29. Because a Servette-Chelsea remains something historic.
