FC Sochaux – SC Bastia : 2-1
To support FC Sochaux this season, you have to hang on. Emotions, intense, tumble without warning even in the hearts most attached and best prepared for the great thrill. That of this Saturday evening, we had not seen it coming. But then really not! The essential is there: after a new match with twists, the Yellow and Blue signed their 19th victory of the season. But it was hard…
Faced with a well-organized Corsican formation that is hard to circumvent with its line of five defenders, the FCSM experienced a complicated first act. Without Mauricio, you had to rely on a fit Ndiaye to break lines and carry the ball to the edge of the opposing area. However, the young Sochaux midfielder not being as radiant as in recent weeks, the possession phases of the Yellow and Blue were quite sterile, with a lot of throwbacks to the back and a difficulty in advancing as a unit.
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Sochaux muzzled in the first period
Apart from a shot from Weissbeck close to the post (9th), Sochaux did not worry Boucher. The Bastia goalkeeper only had one save to make and his teammates perfectly muzzled Kitala, who was still too rough with the ball at his feet. Fortunately, Prévot did not have more work, the only alert on the FCSM goal ending with a goal from Robic logically disallowed for offside.
Obviously not satisfied with the content of the first 45 minutes, Omar Daf asked his players to raise their voices when they returned from the locker room. The pressure was quickly more intense in the Bastia part of the field. With a growing crescendo. He only missed a few centimeters from Do Couto to get ahead of Boucher on a deep pass from Weissbeck (47th), then Kalulu sent his head over on a good cross from Do Couto (55th). Entering from the hour mark to blast the SCB rearguard, Virginius ignited Bonal on his first ball with a slalom concluded by a shot at the opposing goalkeeper (62nd).
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Pogba’s CSC gag revives Bastia
It was at this precise moment that the public, present in large numbers but less noisy than during the clash against Toulouse, began to push hard behind their team. It still took a little for the defense of Bastia to crack on a long shot on target from Weissbeck (66th). And in the process, the moment long awaited by the 15,000 spectators finally arrived, thanks to a clever deflection of the head of Kalulu on an eccentric free kick kicked by Do Couto. With success (Robic also extended the ball involuntarily), the FCSM striker deceived Boucher and gave the advantage to the locals (1-0, 68th).
We then thought FC Sochaux launched towards a new victory when, suddenly, something totally lunar happened. Centered 25 meters from his goal, without any opposing pressure, Pogba wanted to play back towards his goalkeeper without ever looking up to see where he was. Problem, Prévot had left his goal to offer him a solution. It did not fail: Pogba’s pass turned into CSC despite Prévot’s desperate sprint to repair the irreparable (1-1, 79th).
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Henry Hero of Bonal
The party was ruined by a monumental blunder. We even wondered if the rise in Ligue 1 was not going to be played there. Fortunately, Henry did not ask himself this question. The Sochaux right-back, at the start of additional time, took his chance from afar like a desperate man. And as crazy as it may seem, his shot from 30 meters ended in the back of the net (2-1, 90th)!
We had not heard the Bonal stadium scream like that for years. Yes, years! The whole Sochaux bench exploded, with a happy mess on the pitch around the hero of the evening who, for the anecdote, once again hurt his ribs while celebrating with his partners.
At the end of this daunting evening, Sochaux therefore remains fourth in Ligue 2, one point from the podium. Better, behind, Paris FC is now relegated to three lengths after its draw against Valenciennes. What party…
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