Le Havre will still have to wait. While a victory against Valenciennes would have definitively validated their accession to L1, Luka Elsner’s players again stumbled (0-2). They were beaten for the second time in a row, after their defeat conceded in Annecy (1-0) last week.
Everything was however ready to celebrate and record this rise in Ligue 1 which has been reaching out to Le Havre for several weeks. We must hope that it will be postponed to Bastia on Friday or at home a week later against Rodez. Leader since the 14th day, author of a dantesque series of 32 matches without defeat, which had stopped eight days ago in Annecy, Le Havre saw itself formalizing its return to Ligue 1 against Valenciennes on Monday. A victory, after Metz’s draw at Guingamp on Saturday (1-1), and the HAC returned to the elite they had left fourteen years ago.
Valenciennes makes an excellent operation for its maintenance
Valenciennes, relegated at kick-off (18th) and who remained on three matches without a win, decided otherwise and played a very bad blow to the Normans by coming to win at Stade Océane. “He missed an essential element tonight (Monday) : rigor, analyzed Luka Elsner, the Le Havre coach. It was not the HAC, the one who makes a complete match, who does not give up anything to the opponent and does not offer gifts like on the two goals. We have to come back to our values, but I have no doubts. This group will succeed in rising. » Adrian Grbic, from the penalty spot (6th), and Mohamed Kaba, with a shot from 18 meters (45th + 2), had cooled the atmosphere well at the break.
But the Northerners never did anything on Monday. By defending properly, taking the ball out without panicking, the players of Ahmed Kantari will have built their success with lucidity. Valenciennes took a huge breath of fresh air and came out of the red zone, with a 14th place in the standings and 42 points which bring him closer to maintaining. “There is no maintenance, there is nothing done. It was the match that had to be made, Kantari congratulated himself. I had asked the players to let go, to break down this psychological barrier. They brought the best answers by coming to win with the leader. »
Le Havre, ineffectual as at Annecy, suffered their first setback of the season at home and a second defeat in a row, but maintain a comfortable five-point lead over third-placed Metz, before going to Bastia on Friday and receiving Dijon, during the last day. Because the priority is now to ensure the rise in Ligue 1, before thinking of the title of champion, while Bordeaux came back to two points with their victory against Laval on Saturday (3-0).
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