US Orléans wants to prove that it exists on the French scene. The Orléanais face AC Ajaccio, Ligue 2 club, currently third, this Friday evening on behalf of the 7th round of the Coupe de France. The USO, 11th in the National, wants to prove that it has the level against an opponent who turns very well at the upper echelon.
“It’s a good test”, believes the Orleans coach Xavier Collin, also a former Ajaccien when he was a player, “when you have the ambition to make a course, it’s a difficult draw, against an experienced team, solid, seasoned in a difficult championship, it is true that it happens a little early in this competition but it is the draw and it gives us an interesting trick to play “.
“Make a feat”
It is a meeting that allows above all to “to judge”, supports the coach, to know if the USO has the weapons to compete with teams that it still faced two years ago before its descent. “We also have an idea to go there, to thwart the plans of this team”, insists Xavier Collin. Remain the training which offers play, which is “not shy”, “going there to defend is not our philosophy”. It will be necessary “to do a feat” in Corsica, as confirmed by USO defender Florian Lapis. “It’s part of the big teams, we are not used to playing Ligue 2 teams, it also allows us to see where we are and give everything because the Coupe de France is a competition apart, everything can be played in a match “, he adds.
“We are in a good momentum so it would be good to continue this momentum”, argues the left side, former Chamois Niortais and who knows this Ajaccian team well for having already practiced it. “We go there to make a move because there is not really any pressure, it is rather encouraging to play against a big team, it makes you want to play more”, smiles Flo Lapis.
The opposing coach, Olivier Pantaloni said this week in a press conference that it has been a long time since the ACA had not made a course in the Coupe de France, which he means that they will do everything to go the most far possible. “We know that at this level of competition, we say to ourselves that it is never easy for the Nationals and the National 3s for example”, poses Xavier Collin, so not sure that the Ajacciens say they inherited a good draw. “We want to continue this adventure so we will have to put in the necessary ingredients to make a big match”, insists the coach.
The group to face AC Ajaccio
Three players are suspended for this meeting: Aymen Souda, Fred Dembi and Fabien Ouréga. It will also be necessary to do without Timothé Nkada, Ibrahim Sangaré, Estéban Lepaul and Moussa Seydi, injured. The young Liamine Mokdad, he is placed at the disposal of the reserve for an internal concern this week.
Young people Randy Tueba and Theo Ahile join the group for the first time this season.
We should therefore have this starting composition:
Vermot – Halby-Touré, Saint-Ruf, Yambéré, Diallo – Goujon, I. Keita, T. Keita – Fabien, Antoine, Benkaïd
A match to be experienced live and in full
The meeting between AC Ajaccio and USO is to live live and in full on France Bleu Orléans from 8 p.m.