Two teams, two goals. Mathematically, the Stade de Reims is not yet maintained, but hard to believe that the Reims players return to the lawn with the ball in their stomachs. On the Lille side, this match is of capital importance: the European places will be played until the very last day of the championship. These two possible destinies allowed the spectators present at the Auguste Delaune stadium this Wednesday, April 20 to see a beautiful show. The first half is particularly intense: no clear chances, but lots of crosses and combinations. The two teams answer each other blow by blow. A tough fight that calms down for a few seconds to let Arbër Zeneli take a free kick that he himself caused on the right of the Lille area. His cross is deflected and puts LOSC goalkeeper Léo Jardim in an unfortunate position. His lack of control is fatal and Marshall Munetsi who was hanging around, just has to push the ball into the net. 1 – 0 for Stade de Reims, we play the 32nd minute of the game.
A second half full of twists and turns
After the break, it is again Arbër Zeneli who shines by sending a missile on the Lille crossroads. For about ten minutes, it was the Stade de Reims that came out of the locker room the best. But the trend is gradually reversing and LOSC is starting to be dangerous. Physically, the Rémois seem inferior and crack. On an action where Lille play with the limits of offside, Renato Sanches finds himself full axis outside the Marne area and triggers a strike that deceives the defense and the goalkeeper of Stade de Reims. An equalizer that hurt Oscar Garcia’s players who suffered repeated attacks from those of Jocelyn Gourvennec. But the Reims defense does not break. There are only about ten minutes left, the moment chosen by the Stade de Reims to show the extent of its fighting spirit. The Marnais are dangerous at each of their forays into the half of the field. Additional time starts: four minutes to push. Yunis Abdelhamid, the captain, author so far of a solid match turns into a deus ex machina. At the entrance to the Lille area, the captain recovers the ball, turns around and sends a curled shot that leaves Léo Jardim no chance.
A snatch victory, at the end of the suspense and the nerves of the actors of this match. Stade de Reims won 2 goals to 1 against LOSC. Next match against one of France’s most in-form teams: Olympique de Marseille. Kick-off at 8:45 p.m. this Sunday April 24 at the Auguste Delaune stadium.
The game sheet
In Reims (Auguste Delaune stadium), Stade de Reims wins against LOSC 2-1
- Arbitrator : Mr Hakim Ben El Hadj
- Half time: 1-0
- Goals – Munetsi (32nd) and Abdelhamid (92nd) for Reims; Sanches (57th) for Lille
- Warnings – at Rémois Dion Lopy (76th); at Lille Zeki Çelik (89th)
- Reims: Angers : Rajkovic – Konan, Abdelhamid (cap), Faes, Busi, Flips (Foket, 53rd) – Matusiwa, Munetsi (Locko, 71st), Cadjus (Lopy, 66th) – Kebbal (Mbuku, 66th), Zeneli (Touré, 80th) . Entr. :Oscar Garcia
- Lille: Jardim – Celik, Fonte (cap), André, Bradaric – Onana (Gudmundsson, 87th), Sanches, Bamba, Zhegrova (Lihadji, 81st) – Weah, Gomes (David, 57th). Entr. : Jocelyn Gourvennec