It was neither sunny nor hot this Friday evening at the Toulouse Stadium. But too bad, Patrice Garande did not need sun and summer temperatures to have a smile on his sidelines. The Toulouse technician, who saw his players win (2-0) against Grenoble for the last play-off between two Ligue 2 formations, simply wanted to see his players get the best of the Isérois.
For this, the former coach of the Stade Malherbe de Caen was served, and quickly even. After a first minute of possession, the Violets were already projecting themselves into the Grenoble area, the speed of its attacking elements (Adli, Bayo, Koné to name a few) helping this task well. It is also the latter who put his people on the right track, obtaining a penalty after a fault by Belmonte … and this after only 63 seconds of play.
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A penalty transformed into two stages by Spierings (1-0, 3rd), which only gave the locals wings. Because apart from a head on the bar of de Djitté (11th), after a good movement initiated with Semedo and Mombris, the GF38 had to be content with crumbs during the first period.
Maubleu saved his family
The sanction even came faster than expected for the “Téfécé”: author of a crazy conduct of the ball, the left side Machado managed to serve Koné, who, despite the intervention of Maubleu, saw his attempt slip away. bottom of the Grenoble nets (2-0, 23rd).
But even at 2-0, Toulouse did not release the accelerator. A few minutes later, after taking advantage of an error by Nestor 25m from his goals, the twirling Amine Adli, recently elected best player in Ligue 2 by the UNFP, spoke about his talent to get rid of the Isère defense and serve Bayo, who finally saw his strike being stopped by Maubleu.
A few minutes later, it is this same Adli who again brought a little madness in the last 25 meters by being at the initiative of a beautiful Toulouse action, concluded with a shot from Machado, again deflected by Maubleu .
At half-time, the essentials had been done, and it was difficult to imagine the Grenoblois returning to the game. However, it is the Blue and White, dressed in red this Friday evening, who lit the first fuse of the second act, through Nestor (46th), but without danger for Dupé.
Healey to conclude
Maxime Dupé precisely had to wait a few more minutes before being worried, on a heavy strike from Pickel at the entrance to the surface (54th). But the TFC porter, who arrived last summer from Clermont Foot, reassured his teammates by easily capturing the leather. For 20 minutes, Grenoble took advantage of the drop in pace in Toulouse, almost logical in view of the intensity set during the first 45 minutes by the Violets. Ravet undoubtedly thought of taking advantage, by sending in his turn a big strike on a free kick at the entrance of the surface (63rd), but Dupé watched the grain.
Without crushing his opponent, without obtaining enormous opportunities, the GF38 then fell back into its pitfalls, again losing the thread of a match that the Isérois never really found. Healey, who came into play in place of Bayo to bring a little freshness, could have put an end to the visitors’ hopes in the 70th minute, after getting the better of Maubleu. The English striker finally waited for additional time to send his family to the final of accession to Ligue 1 (against 18th in the standings), after a face to face won without trembling against Maubleu (3-0, 90th + 2) .
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A year after its descent, Toulouse is already preparing to relive the Ligue 1. But the Haut-Garonnais are hungry, and there is no doubt that this snack will not be enough for them.
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