THE DECLASES:
Racing assistant coach Jean-Marc Kuentz : “The first twenty minutes were interesting in terms of pace and technique too. When you don’t score in your highlights, it’s difficult. You know that the team that scores first in the Cup takes a small advantage. We have as many chances as they have, but there has always been a head or foot in front of us, a lack of skill and efficiency too. It’s frustrating at that level. “
The captain Dimitri Liénard : “Throughout the week, we saw a united staff, where everyone had their role to play (Editor’s note to compensate for the absence of trainer Julien Stéphan, in isolation because of the covid). I also spoke in the locker room before the match to say that I was pleasantly surprised that everyone had their part to play this week. We have a chef, the coach who was in front of the TV and we wanted to make him feel that “He could trust us. I hope he is at least proud of the state of mind displayed. We are disappointed, because we wanted to make a course in the Coupe de France, because that represented the group well”.
Habib Diallo missed his first of the year 2022 and his last match with Racing before participating in the African Cup of Nations. The Senegalese headed too short on a Kevin Gameiro cross early in the match, but was later blocked from close range by MHSC defender Nicolas Cozza. And above all, he missed a golden opportunity to equalize by harvesting a penalty in the stoppage of play of the first period. In addition, quite nervous, he was logically warned.
It is the time that has been patient Lebo mothiba to reconnect with competition (one year, ten months and two days). Returned at the end of the match, he replayed an official match for the first time since February 29, 2020, it was already at the Mosson stadium in Montpellier in Ligue 1 (defeat 3 to 0). After almost two years of physical hardship, the South African striker played a quarter of an hour late in the match. He could take advantage of Habib Diallo’s absence from the African Cup of Nations, to scratch some playing time in January and find the rhythm of the high level.
- THE SUMMARY OF THE MATCH IN AUDIO:
ADDITIONAL INFO: The Merchant operated from the back.
Jean-Marc Kuentz announced it at a press conference: the defender Maxime Le Marchand will be operated on Monday for a hernia on his back. He has been in pain since the beginning of November, he had to withdraw after the warm-up of the match in Nantes. He should be absent for several weeks, Jean-Marc Kuentz did not specify the duration of his unavailability.
Bad news for the private Racing in the coming weeks of Alexander Djiku, who will play in the African Cup of Nations with Ghana. Two other defenders Gerzino Nyamsi and Anthony Caci were also forfeited due to injury for this Coupe de France match in Montpellier. This succession of glitches could encourage the Strasbourg leaders to recruit a defender during this winter transfer window.