National foot zapping The Azzurri’s calendar for the 2022 World Cup
Group C is no exception to the rule. As usual, the third hen of Nazionale 2 puts on a show and should fight an increasingly fierce battle for membership. At the time of the winter break for the fourth division, five teams are in just three points: Jura Sud (1st, 26 points), Grasse (2nd, 26 points), Lyon-La Duchère (3rd, 23 points), AJ Auxerre (4th, 23 points) and Marignane-Gignac (5th, 23 points). Not to mention certain teams a stone’s throw away, which could even recover games to recover… This will not be the case for the current leaders, Jura Sud, whose calendar is up to date (14 days played). For their 20th consecutive season at this level, Valentin Guichard’s side hope to celebrate their anniversary with some big news in a few months’ time. Irresistible at the beginning of this 2022-2023 exercise, the latter even released her invincibility until the 11th day! All groups combined, only GOAL FC (group D) pushed the performance in the same stage of the competition.
Grasse still there, two jokers in the Lyon-La Duchère group
Zakari Souleymane (Lyon-La Duchère)Photo credit – Icon Sport
Yes but here it is. Since the first setback of the season against Lyon-La Duchère (3-4) on November 25, Jura Sud has remained unchanged. Aubagne (2-2), Thonon Évian (1-1) and Marignane (1-2) snatched points from him. But the last outing of 2022 against AJA (1-0) also reminded us that this formation has serious arguments to play the climb to the end. Just like Fat. Level on points, the runner-up also left his mark by closing the year with a convincing win at Lyon-La Duchère (1-0). However, the exercise had started badly for Florian Camus’ partners. After three days, they had no victory. And the first was snatched from the Thonon Évian field (3-2), on 10 September. Since then the southerners seem to have more or less hit the bull’s-eye with their striker Dame Gueye (12 goals).
It remains to be seen if they can keep up the pace until the end and break the glass roof, they remain on two consecutive second places (2019/2020 and 2021/2022). Second place, and also the currently occupied third place, however, seemed far away for La Duchère last year. The Rhone club, which therefore completes the podium three points behind the duo for the moment, fought to the end to avoid relegation. Finally saved from the waters, the Sang et Or can boast of having chained a good series of victories from the eighth to the eleventh day. A performance concluded by the famous success on the lands of the invincible southern Jura, at the end of November. But the last two outings of 2022, against competitors Auxerre (1-1) and Grasse (0-1), have cooled the temperature a bit. However, Lyon-La Duchère has not one, but two jokers up its sleeve: matches to make up against Fréjus and Hyères, which could clearly change the situation in the standings. Of the first 5, it is also the only formation that needs to update its calendar…
Auxerre amazes, Marignane holds firm
Photo credit – Icon Sport
A top 5 in which the reserve of AJ Auxerre is therefore in fourth position. Transferred from group B to group C this summer, the icaunais club and its youngsters amaze the grandstand. Alès (1-5), Fréjus (0-3) or even Aubagne (2-4) can testify to this. Equipped with a formidable Ousmane Camara (21) (second top scorer with 11 goals), AJA does not have the same goal as their teammates at the top. Unable to climb in the national team, Auxerre will still try to validate their promising first part of the season and finish as high as possible. In short, the perfect killjoy that Marignane-Gignac hopes to fire as soon as possible. Never far from the top places even in recent seasons, the Bouches-du-Rhône club started its campaign with a bang (three wins, one draw). Grasse (2nd) and Jura Sud (1st) even crashed against Joris Mallet and company. The MGCB will therefore be followed very closely in the coming weeks…
Just like Hyères? Sixth, the Var formation is four lengths from the top 5. Still in the running for the Coupe de France, where a prestigious match against Olympique de Marseille awaits them at the beginning of January, however it remains far from its initial objectives. And the means provided by its president Mourad Boudjellal, former head of RC Toulon. Above all, Yohan Mollo and his companions will have to find consistency in order to hope to grab positions in the standings. History also to keep his distance from his pursuers such as Thonon Évian (7th), trailing by one point. After two defeats at the start, the promoted Haut-Savoyard adjusted perfectly to the level. Since October 1, only Lyon-Duchère has managed to defeat Bryan Bergougnoux’s men! However, the latter share the same number of points as the reserve of Lyon (18 points), which blows hot and cold.
Sète in perdition, Alès at the bottom of the abyss
Photo credit – Icon Sport
In a “catastrophic” financial situation according to its president Mario Becerra, to the point of approaching bankruptcy, Canet-en-Roussillon (9th) is doing its best for the moment. Capable of beating La Duchère (1-0) and Grasse (2-1) or keeping Auxerre (1-1) and Jura Sud (1-1) in check, the CRFC had three penalty points from the DNCG. Enough to put the club under threat from the red zone, which Fréjus Saint-Raphaël (10th) and SC Toulon (11th) are currently avoiding. The two Var clubs, also capable of brilliant moves in the first part of the season, should be forced to fight to the last for survival in the national team 2. As well as Louhans-Cuiseaux (12th). Sixth last season, the Saône-et-Loire side are struggling and haven’t won a single match since 22 October in Saint-Priest.
This same Saint-Priest formation that we find one notch lower (13°). In the fight to keep it a few months ago, the ASSP is once again fighting in this financial year 2022-2023. Author of a good path in 2021-2022 for the return to the fourth division (7th), Aubagne FC also did not find the right formula (14th). Descended from the National last spring, FC Sète is adrift. Winner of Olympique Lyonnais on matchday two (1-0), he then waited ten episodes to savor victory again, against Hyères (2-0). In great difficulty, the Hérault club must get back on its feet to avoid a disaster. A relegation that is already dangerously approaching for Alès, red lantern with six dots on the clock. They are ten behind Toulon, the first player not to be relegated… The Cévennes club will have to start its 2023 with a bang, during confrontations with their direct opponents: Louhans-Cuiseaux (07/01), Sète (14/01) and Aubagne (21/01). What quickly to fix on the continuation of events…
to summarise
Group C is no exception to the rule. As usual, the third hen of Nazionale 2 puts on a show and should fight an increasingly fierce battle for membership. At the time of the winter break for the fourth division, five teams are in just three points: Jura Sud (1st, 26 points), Grasse (2nd, 26 points), Lyon-La Duchère (3rd, 23 points), AJ Auxerre (4th, 23 points) and Marignane-Gignac (5th, 23 points).
