Finish well: it was the only issue tonight in the last match of the Ligue 2 season for Nîmes Olympique against Bastia. It was missed: gone on vacation 45 minutes too early, the Crocos lost to the Corsicans (0-2) and finished 9th in Ligue 2.
It is the Corsicans who best start this last part before the holidays. The players trained by the former Croco Régis Brouard obtain the first situation in the surface of the NO well extinguished by Briançon. The reds start by chasing the ball before, little by little, to balance the debates.
Fomba, in sight in the middle, hits and shifts Benrahou, whose counter shot gives the NO their first corner in the 9th. On the corner, Briançon tries a nice scissor on target but too weak to deceive the island goalkeeper. Eliasson strikes on the left, Benrahou is precise on a free kick, with a ball placed on the head of Mbow who passes close by (18th).
This time, it is the Corsicans who run after the ball, and Nîmes Olympique comes up against a blue wall. Barely Briançon got a fright by losing a very dangerous ball leading to a fortunately offside goal for the Corsicans (26th). Not enough to tarnish the good first act of the Nîmes captain, who we can see when we see him again on the pitch how much he missed this team.
The Crocos push, and seek to convert their domination and their highlight. Alas, they get more situations than clear chances, like Eliasson (30th). It will take a twist of fate to see the Nîmes narrowly miss the opener: following a corner, Ponceau tries a long center-shot which lobbies everyone and crashes into the post of Vincensini (37th).
Bastia tries a timid reaction by going over the Gard defense, but Dias watches (38th). The last thrill will be two minutes later, when after a quickly played touch, the Corsicans find themselves in the surface. Fortunately, Briançon is watching. Half-time is whistled on this score of 0-0, with Nîmes in front in points but who will have to settle the sights in the second half.
Bad second half
But here it is: this season, the Crocos have too often played half time out of two. And this evening again for the last of the season: Bastia opens the scoring from a corner as soon as the locker room returns, The Cardinal, yet not the smallest Corsican, is left alone by a passive Nîmes defense and comes to place an overpowered header under the bar de Dias, helpless (0-1, 48th).
The Nîmes reaction is timid. Benrahou takes a free kick cleared by the goalkeeper, Ponceau takes over (53rd). Régis Brouard makes his first changes, notably with the entry of Magri. The attacker stands out from the 62nd with a good raid after a Bastia counter, followed by a deflected shot by Dias. And three minutes later, he will be decisive.
Launched on the left, the attacker arrives in the area of Dias, who takes a step of hesitation on his exit. Fatal hesitation: Magri’s center brushes against the goalkeeper and lands at the feet of Santelli, who scores his 10th goal of the season (0-2, 65th). The Crocos accuse the blow. Nicolas Usaï makes changes, but only Ómarsson stands out by trying to hit, but he is too alone to allow the apathetic Crocos to create the slightest clear chance.
The clock passes quietly, and the season ends with a new defeat, the 17th of a very average season ended in 9th place. Now it’s time for next season, with a team most likely largely overhauled.
Thierry ALLARD
38th day of Ligue 2. Stade des Costières. Spectators: 2,194. Nîmes Olympique – SC Bastia: 0-2. (halftime: 0-0). Referee: Mr. Lepaysant. Goal for Nimes:. Goals for Bastia: Le Cardinal (48th), Santelli (65th). Warning in Nîmes: Eliasson (82nd). Warning to Bastia: Zolotov (52nd).
Nîmes: Dias — Guessoum (Ómarsson, 67th), Briançon (Cap.) (Martinez, 67th), Mbow — Burner (Paquiez, 74th), Fomba (Sarr, 67th), Ponceau, Sadzoute — Eliasson, Benrahou (Delpech, 74th) , Kone. Unused substitutes: Nazih (left), Ueda. Coach: Nicolas Usai.
Bastia: Vincensini – Sainati, Bocognano, Le Cardinal – Kaïboue (Vincent, 75th), Zolotov (Robic, 59th), Salles-Lamonge, Ben Saada (Cap.) (Talal, 59th), Schur – Santelli, Saadi (Magri, 59th) ). Unused substitutes: Boucher (left), Roncaglia, Angelini. Coach: Régis Brouard.
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