“We lacked accuracy, technicality, movement. “We had left Pascal Gastien” moderately happy “after the unsuccessful exit of Clermontois, Saturday, in Saint-Chély-d’Apcher. Faced with Châteauroux, another Ligue 2 opponent, his training _ with Iglesias, his usual captain, once again spared _ continued this momentum during the first twenty minutes of the meeting on Wednesday. Despite the presence of its public and its supporters, Clermont Foot was jostled by Castelroussins who had fangs, after the cancellation of their matches against Niort and Orleans due to coronavirus.
The air of Vichy, where Nicolas Usaï’s men were on training last week, whetted the appetite of the Berrichons. And the locals struggled to digest the entrance. From their first foray into the Auvergne camp, the Castelroussins opened the scoring with a beautiful combined percussion on the right side of Chouaref and Keny. The center forward returned to Sunu, effective from close range (0-1, 3rd). Confirming the difficulties of the Clermont defense to enter the game, the former Lorient could have doubled the bet five minutes later, without a decisive intervention by Hountondji. In the meantime, Gomis had put Fabri to good use on a nice strike (8th), but the offensive animation of the formation composed by Pascal Gastien generally lacked benchmarks and, above all, momentum.
A hat-trick for his first at Montpied
Momentum, the Auvergnats found it after a good twenty minutes. More pressing, more incisive, they tilted the meeting in two stages: on a penalty obtained by Gomis and transformed by Tell (1-1, 32nd), then on a good overflow on the left side of Zedadka, concluded at six meters by the same Tell (2-1, 36th). In two strokes, the former Rennais left his mark on the Clermont preparation by offering himself a double for his first at the Montpied stadium, the first two achievements of one of the recruits called to replace the goleador Adrian Grbic, who left for Lorient (L1).
Two and soon three. After the break, during which Nicolas Usaï changed six of his players, the evening scorer saw triple (3-1, 62nd) with the help of a Berry defender, upon receipt of an offering from Gomis, launched alone in front of Fabri’s cage. Three blows from Tell, a “perf” which earned him, in the process, a standing ovation from a public weaned from football for more than four months. Because the waltz of changes has, in the meantime, taken on a Clermont tone, Pascal Gastien modifying the entirety of his eleven. Suddenly, the end of the meeting was a little more disjointed, with opportunities on both sides, but without this influencing the course of the evening. We will retain a solid score of the goalkeepers, Desmas, for his first too, on a header from Mbone (45th), and Djoco, vigilant against Grange (72nd) or Doucouré (83rd). The only downside, the exit on muscle injury, after twenty-four minutes of presence on the lawn, young Seidu.
“Better than against Rodez”
“The whole performance was better than against Rodez,” Pascal Gastien noted with satisfaction. “At least in terms of what we can do in training. Tonight I saw a team that dribbled, that was forward. Football is about scoring goals, and for that you have to take risks, ”noted the technician from Auvergne. His counterpart regretted a “lack of rhythm” after all logical. “We are consistent for twenty-five minutes, but we had to be more realistic in front in our strong times and behind in our weak times. We also have to accept, mentally, to concede a goal, but we had a floating time after the equalizer. But it remains a second preparation match, against a team which I am convinced will end up in the top 10, if not higher, in the championship, ”insisted Nicolas Usaï.
A team that could have gauged itself against a formation of the upper floor, Montpellier, Saturday. Covid-19 decided otherwise, and it should be satisfied with an internal opposition before finding the thread of its preparation next Wednesday, against Orléans, in Yzeure.
Sebastien Devaur
THE SHEET. Clermont-Ferrand (Gabriel-Montpied stadium). Clermont Foot beats Châteauroux 3-1 (half time: 2-1). Around 820 spectators. Referee: M. Baert.
Buts. Clermont : Tell (32e s.p., 36e, 62e) ; Châteauroux : Sunu (3e).
Clermont : Desmas (Djoco, 63rd); Zedadka (Seidu, 63rd, Trichard, 86th), Hountondji (Albert, 63rd), Ogier (cap, Aljic, 63rd), Nsimba (Boyer, 63rd); Chader (Jaby, 63rd), Magnin (Rajot, 63rd), J. Gastien (Iglesias, 63rd, cap); Gomis (Allevinah, 63rd), Tell (Bayo, 63rd), Berthomier (Abdul Samed, 63rd). Trainer: Pascal Gastien.
Châteauroux : Fabri (Pillot, 63rd); Cordoval (Fofana, 46th), Cissé, Mbone (Morante, 46th), Alhadur (Operi, 46th); Sangante (Raineau, 46th); Chouaref (Tormin, 73rd), Mulumba (Grange, 46th), Leroy (Doucouré, 73rd), Sunu (Boukari, 63rd); Keny (Gonçalves, 46th). Entries: Coach: Nicolas Usaï.
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