Three years after the defeat against PSG, FC Nantes returns to the semi-finals of the Coupe de France. Opposed to a Bastia team stuck in 17th place in Ligue 2, Nantes had a golden opportunity to reach the last four to join Monaco. In front of their public, the Nantes people seemed to put an end to all suspense from the first moments of the match. Launched in depth, Kolo Muani penetrates the surface and is mowed down by Joris Sainati: penalty. The man in form of the moment Ludovic Blas is responsible for transforming him (1 ‘), he who had already scored twice in the round of 16 against Brest.
The Bastiais not intimidated
In front of the score, the Canaries are not freed by the weight of this trap match against a team from the lower level. Suffocated by a well-organized Bastia team, Antoine Kombouaré’s players failed to get the ball out. Sometimes sufficient and imprecise in the defensive phase, they even give Sporting the opportunity to open the scoring. But neither Le Cardinal de la tête (16′), nor Vincent, whose shot from 25m crashed into the post (25′), nor Sortelli, who lost his successive duels against Descamps (38′, 43′), managed to to concretize the Bastia domination in the first period. At the break, Nantes is doing well with its goal in advance.
Blas-Kolo Muani: winning duo
On returning from the locker room, the dynamics are reversed. Higher on the ground, is more dangerous. Well served at the entrance to the area, Pereira de Sa was the first to stand out but his flat left foot was well captured by Johnny Placide (52′). The breach is open, the people of Nantes will rush into it. Twice Moses Simon dynamited his right side before transplanting in the axis to strike, but his attempts did not catch the target (55 ‘, 70’).
But as often, the solution emerges from the duo Ludovic Blas – Randal Kolo Muani. Launched on the left, the former Guingampais tries a wrapped center, which is badly repelled by Placide in the feet of Kolo Muani who does not need to be asked to score his ninth goal of the season (71 ‘). At 2-0 the Bastiais no longer believe in it and each of the teams seems to be waiting for the now inevitable outcome of this meeting. Without shining, Nantes therefore validates its ticket in the last four of the Coupe de France and can dream of a fourth success in the competition. It will not pass a success against AS Monaco on March 2 at La Beaujoire.
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