It is often said that the misfortune of some makes the happiness of others, but this evening we should reverse the sentence, and speak of the happiness of some which makes the misfortune of others. Winner of Bourg-en-Bresse, this Thursday, May 12 (42-17), offensive bonus at stake, Grenoble offered a great last meeting in front of their home crowd, to conclude a difficult season. But he also has sentenced the Ain club to return to the National, a year after its rise. In the third division, Bourg-en-Bresse will notably find CS Bourgoin-Jallieu. And yet, not everything was always easy for the people of Grenoble. After a first diesel period, the FCG accelerated just before the break, thanks to a test of Ange Capuozzo, scorer for his last match in Isère, he who is announced in Toulouse. Grenoble therefore led 13-3 at half-time, against the voluntary but too timid Bressans. They were all the same proud, because at the hour of play, the players of Ain passed in front (16-17), and we saw reappear the specter of the Grenoble defeat in Bresse territory (30-20), last December. But the Isère club only trembled for seven short minutes, the time Halaifonua scored (67th), then Qadiri scored a hat-trick in ten minutes, validating his role as top scorer of the Grenoble season (70 ‘, 79′, 81’). The score and the sentence are heavy for the Bressans, but they represent a match where they will have played a notch below the level of the Isérois.
The FCG ends the year in 12th place in Pro D2, far from the ambitions displayed at the start of the season. He even feared for his maintenance, a time, before validating it. He can now build the future. And in the meantime, he can celebrate: because this May 12th is the 10th anniversary of the title of French Pro D2 champion ! A lap of honor of the players present that day was made at half-time of the match. And then at the end of the match, there was a tribute to each player who will leave the FCG at the end of this season, and in particular Ange Capuozzo, but also Adrien Seguret, expected in Castres.
The main actions of the match
81′ TEST FOR GRENOBLE! Tripled in ten minutes for Qadiri! And beautiful symbol, it is Romain Trouilloud, back from a long injury, who transforms (42-17)
79′ TEST FOR GRENOBLE! Qadiri flattens again, and Barthélémy converts (35-17)
70′ TEST FOR GRENOBLE! After a long series of sometimes borderline passes, Qadiri jumps into the in-goal and flattens. He becomes the FCG’s leading scorer of the season. Then Barthélémy misses the conversion (28-17)
67′ TEST FOR GRENOBLE! Halaifonua flattened in force, and put Grenoble back in front. Then, Barthélémy transforms (23-17)
60′ TEST FOR BOURG-EN-BRESSE! Jullien flattened in force. And Olender transforms. The USBPA goes back in front, in front of 1000 supporters who made the trip and who are white-hot for the maintenance! (16-17)
53′ Barthélémy restores a little lead to Grenoble on penalty (16-10)
44′ TEST FOR BOURG-EN-BRESSE! Capuozzo slips and loses the ball to Erasmus. After a big streak of play, Méliande flattens, and Olender transforms (13-10)
34′ ANGEL TEST CAPUOZZOOOOOOOO! For his last, the Grenoblois leaves in style, concluding a good action from the FCG. Barthélémy then transforms (13-3)
27′ Barthélémy scores a penalty and puts Grenoble in front (6-3)
22′ Following a headline, Halaifonua takes a yellow card from Grenoble. In the process, Olender equalizes for Bourg-en-Bresse (3-3).
15 ‘After a quarter of an hour, the FCG leads 3-0, thanks to a penalty from Romain Barthélémy
The reactions