More infuriating than that, it would have been hard to imagine. A Montpellier team with six injuries for this meeting, to which was quickly added a seventh at the very start of the first half, and a wide possession of the ball in the second period, ten against ten (the Montpellier goalkeeper was excluded for a stamp on Botué on a superb occasion at the end of the first half). Despite all these ingredients, the Ajaccian recipe lacked salt, especially with the fillets.
Well back in the match, thanks to a stirring J. Botué, a Bayala on the verge of opening the scoring and a very legged Spadanuda, the ACA nevertheless drew blanks, and are still struggling to convince at the start of the season.
One of the best opportunities will be this shot from Cyrille Bayala stopped in front of the line by Mamadou Sakho, defender with 29 selections for the French team. It was he who replaced Sainte-Luce, injured.
Hamouma excluded for a gesture … of an attacker
On a communication error, unfortunately, Montpellier was able to open the scoring after a good movement from left to right. The defense was far too out of step with the opposing attack on the action of this 28th minute.
But the fact of gambling – more than debatable, in the opinion of many observers present – is undoubtedly the second yellow card delivered by Mr. Dechépy to Romain Hamouma. Guilty, according to the regulations, of a foot that was too dangerous on what was going to be a fabulous acrobatic return five meters from the goals, the former Saint-Etienne player was severely excluded, even though it was the defender, placed at the start three meters further, who played from the head to the foot, and not the reverse.
The ACA had the ball, and Montpellier the patience
Even more frustratingly, goal disallowed by VAR. just before the break. Everyone then believes in the equalizer when Laçi deflects a cross from Alphonse. The ball falls at the far post on Spadanuda who scores with a header! The aceists celebrate at this time what they think will be their third goal of the season. But past the euphoria, the video assistance is consulted… Laçi was indeed offside.
The break is therefore whistled on a short advantage that the whites and reds will not catch up with. They will dominate in possession, but will stumble on a good central hinge, and will fish again for lack of realism. Montpellier, on the contrary, will register their second goal with patience and method, managing thereafter their lead thus aggravated by Wahi.
Olivier Pantaloni’s reaction:
“There is a lot of disappointment with this first half because _we can and we must lead to the score_. We lack efficiency offensively, and on a defensive error, we give the opportunity that the opponent does not miss, and therefore we are led a little against the course of the game. There is this goal disallowed for offside… but above all, the frustration is about having missed a fairly clear opportunity to open the scoring and having conceded a goal on one of the rare mistakes we could have made. We pay cash for all the mistakes we make. What we did, it’s not so bad, even if there are things to improve especially on the offensive level. […]
Revenge to be taken, from this Sunday, to F. Coty against Lorient.