It took until the 71st minute of a committed match and a goal from the inevitable Randal Kolo Muani to release the 24,500 Nantes supporters present at La Beaujoire, this Thursday evening. Heckled by the Sporting Club de Bastia for a good part of this quarter-final, the Canaries relied on their strong men to validate their ticket for the last four of the Coupe de France (2-0) for the second times in four years. Thrilling.
Ludovic Blas again and again
Faced with a Corsican formation that was going to sell its skin dearly, the band of Antoine Kombouaré could not have started this cleaver match better. One ball, one penalty, one goal. On his first touch of the ball, Roli Pereira De Sa put Nantes’ top scorer, Randal Kolo Muani, into orbit. Faced with two Bastiais, number 23 is thrown to the ground and the main referee, Antony Gautier, did not hesitate for a moment to designate the penalty spot. And who else but the captain in the Coupe de France, Ludovic Blas, to convert him with a strong strike and heat Beaujoire for the first time (1-0 in the 3rd).
The rest was more complicated for FC Nantes. Much more complicated, unlike the Corsicans who entered their match and put Rémy Descamps to work. Impeccable, the replacement for Alban Lafont – package, this Thursday evening – was one of the only ones to show himself to his advantage in a match where Wylan Cyprien and Sébastien Corchia struggled. Even disappointing. Abused in the game, jostled in the duels, Andrei Girotto’s teammates took their troubles patiently and waited for a new flash from Ludovic Blas. Launched by Quentin Merlin, given a standing ovation when he left, the Nantes midfielder delivered a straight cross from the left lane. Badly cleared by the Corsican goalkeeper, Johny Placide, the ball then turned into an offering for Randal Kolo Muani who finished the job closely (2-0 in the 71st).