It is rare for a game to reflect an entire season to such an extent. Wednesday April 20, Bordeaux-Saint-Etienne (2-2 on behalf of the 33rd day of Ligue 1) was the perfect mirror of all the performances of the two clubs since the start of the exercise. Capable of episodic dazzling, doubling envy by sequences, Stéphanois (18th) and Girondins (19th) have also shown their main limit: continuity.
In the game, first. After a thunderous first half hour, punctuated by goals from Sékou Mara (15th) and Junior Onana (22nd), the Bordelais slowly eased off. Until letting ASSE equalize, while the Foréziens waited until the 31st minute to fire their first shot. “They had two shots on target for two goals“, Bitterly noted David Guion, the Bordeaux coach, at a press conference.
Parity score in this game.
[2-2] #FCGBASSE pic.twitter.com/CeOZZyoHed
– FC Girondins de Bordeaux (@girondins) April 20, 2022
But the technician, who arrived on the banks of the Garonne in February, above all pointed to other wanderings. “The team was very feverish technically and did not know how to keep the ball. But it is also played on mental aspects“, detailed Guion. The former Rémois only confirmed the general impression left by his people, as soon as the end of the match was whistled.
Stoic and dumbfounded, his players stayed on the pitch for long minutes, before saluting the Virage Sud. As in Lyon four days earlier (6-1 defeat), in Reims (5-0), Rennes (6-0) or Strasbourg (5-2), they plunged after the first goal conceded, in this case by Denis Bouanga (31st). Unable to keep the ball from the 45th to the 75th minute, Bordeaux even curled the correctional. But the head of Arnaud Nordin, already a scorer two minutes earlier, was pushed back by the crossbar (66th).
Sign of a game decidedly difficult to read, the Girondins have nevertheless “everything to win, there was a big burst of energyunderlined Guion. It was played at a heel… ” That of Mbaye Niang, in an offside position on a goal scored by Jimmy Briand in added time. The stadium then capsized, the substitute Paul Baysse melted on the lawn and the ultras cracked a smoke bomb… for nothing. The VAR has been there.Before this burst of pride, the Bordelais had been overwhelmed by the intensity of the revengeful Stéphanois.
“My players grabbed their 19th point trailing [sur 31]. This proves that this team is in good health, but they have to solve their defensive problems. The first half was messy.”
Pascal Dupraz, coach of Saint-Etienneat the post-match press conference
Against Brest on Saturday (2-1), the Greens had already reversed a badly embarked situation. ASSE has also demonstrated its commitment. His six yellow cards are indicative of this, although some were due to poorly channeled nervousness. “It was a committed match, a good match at the bottom of the table, not tutu football. It’s a contact sport“, quipped Pascal Dupraz, himself warned at the end of the match. True to his reputation, the Haute-Savoie technician gesticulated a lot from his technical area, constantly haranguing his players. His grip drastically contrasted with the calm of a David Guion with a more measured character, often sitting on his bench. In the end, it was his players who reacted when their backs were against the wall.
“We will have to win all the matches, especially away from home“, repeats a Bordeaux coach “received” by the result. The victory of Clermont, on the wire in Troyes (0-1), does not help the Marines and Whites: they are now four points behind the roadblocker. A position now occupied by Saint-Etienne, even if Pascal Dupraz does not “rdon’t look at the ranking“.”It’s a point against a direct competitorrejoiced the former Toulouse coach, for his “only mathematical point”. The days go by, we still have a four-point lead plus a favorable goal difference over Bordeaux.“ And swipe: “With 31 points, we are not staying in L1. I have more than hope, I have certainties, they are mine, but ASSE will continue“.