Updated 29^th April 2008

HOME LOSS Red Star slumped to yet another home defeat in what is turning out to be a season to forget. Visitors to Stade Bauer on Saturday evening were Sochauxs' reserves, with a changed line-up from the one that beat Red Star 2-1 earlier in the season. Coach Naidons' men looked tired after the Coupe de Paris victory in midweek and the extra-time victory had taken its toll on the legs. The home sides' hopes of a win to lift the gloom in the championship were dashed on the hour mark when Sochaux scored the only goal of the game. Some atrocious finishing and pathetic long-range efforts meant that once again Red Star failed to find the net in the league. Since the fine win at home to Metw, Red Star have managed only one draw (at Strasbourg) and have lost the three other games, scoring two goals in the process. In fact, other than the Bauer win against Metz, one had to go back to the beginning of March and a laborious win over strugglers Epernay to find the last victory. With four games remaining, Red Star do have a ten point cushion over the first of the teams in the relegation places, Nance reserves, and of those remaining games one is at strugglers Epinal and another is at home to Jura Sud Foot, whom Red Star have already beaten this season. Sandwiched in between are Lyon at home as well as a long long trip to the Alps to play Croix de Savoie, whom are in a two-horse race for the title. José Nseke, Ludovic Fardin, Sochauxs' Marvin Martin & Eugène Kangulungu at Bauer on Saturday Coaches Genghini (Sochaux) and Naidon (Red Star) catch up on the latest news via AllezRedStar.coms' super match programme ! Bouzid Yosri & Adrien Baur Red Stars' kitman Alain pictured with Sochauxs' team bus

Updated 24^th April 2008

COUPE DE PARIS Red Star booked their ticket through to the semi finals of the Coupe de Paris, disposing of DSR leaders Yerres 3-1 after extra time. The expression "a game of two halves" has been used to death in match reports since time immemorial, but this was a game of two pitches ! The game kicked off at 7pm CET on Yerre's grass arena. Red Star got off to a dream start when Greg Lefort gave them the lead as early as the eighth minute. But Yerres stuck to their task and were not overawed by their CFA opponents, fielding a full-strength team for the tie. Former Red Star man Richar Akianas' brother drew the sides level and although Red Star were the better side, the game was evenly balanced in terms of occasions to win the match. So after ninety minutes the sides were level. However the grass pitch at Yerres is not equipped with floodlights, so the only way to continue the game was on the adjacent (floodlit) synthetic pith, luckily not in use yesterday evening ! So the players had to go back to the changing rooms to change their boots. On the artificial surface it was one-way traffic, Red Star completely in control as if they were in a hurry to get the tie over. Greg Lefort put the visitors back in front and with five minutes remaining Yerres were down to ten men as they had a players sent off for a foul on Red Stars' Loïc Ghili. Moussas Ouattara duly put the spot kick away and Red Star were through. Grégory Lefort puts Red Star in front in the 8th minute Moussa Ouattara The match officials on the plastic pitch : Jean-Jacques Lambert, Eric Billault & Rudy Hourdoullie

Updated 21^st April 2008

RED STAR DRAW Red Star returned from a long long trip east with a 1-1 draw, thanks to an equalising goal scored just seconds into the second half by makeshift striker Loïc Ghili. Earlier in the game hosts Strasbourg had gone in front through Kevin Gameiro, a youngster normaly seen in the first XI. But Red Stars' resilience shone through and they deservedly earned a share of the spoils. Prior to departure at five o'clock on Sunday morning, Red Star cold only count on twelve players available - at least two had experienced alarm clock failures and so they only had the ever-reliable Stéphane Sorreau on the bench. Fortunately this versatile reserve team regular can play either as striker or goalkeeper, so all eventualities were covered ! Red Stars' next game is a Coupe de Paris quarter final on Wednesday evening against DSR leaders Yerres. One player who will miss the game and indeed the rest of the season, including the final should Red Star get that far is leading scorer Taïmmy Negreche, out with ligaments injury. Next Saturday Red Star return to Bauer with a game at home to Sochaux reserves. OTHER RED STAR RESULTS Disappointment for the reserves - after last weekends' promising win over Porcheville, Red Star faled to take advantage of playing at home at Bauer against La Garenne Colombes, going down to a sucker punch goal two minutes from time. Things are looking very black for Red Star now, five points adrift from safety with four games remaining. Earlier in the afternoon the Under 18s could only manage a goalless draw with Entente SSG, a side they have now played four times this season. CFA RESULTS STRASBOURG B - RED STAR FC 93 : 1-1 Sochaux B - Jura Sud Foot : 1-1 Metz B - Saint-Priest : 1-0 Nancy B - Montceau-les-Mines : 0-0 Belfort – Raon-l’Etape : 0-1 Vesoul – Epernay : 2-2 Mulhouse - Auxerre B : 4-3 Besançon - Lyon B : 2-1 Epinal - Croix de Savoie : 0-2 THE NEWS IN PHOTOS Noël Moukila, coach Bruno Naidon and Donna Tokala upon arrrival in Strasbourg Loïc Ghili Celebrates with his team mates after equalising for Red Star Stéphane Sorreau, striker or... goalie. David, Yoann, Eugène & Yannick warm down after the game in Alsace Ludo, José & Habib Bellaïd, former Red Star player now a pro with Strasbourg

Updated 15^th April 2008

FIRST TEAM LOSE AGAIN BUT RESERVES FINALLY WIN. Red Stars' policy of trying to save the reserves from relegation by fielding what is virtually a first XI achieved its first success at Bauer on Sunday afternoon. However Red Star had to wait until seven minutes from time before Taïmmy Negreche lobbed the visitors' keeper and put the ball in the net. RED STAR – PORCHEVILLE : 1-0 Goal : Negreche (83) – attendance : 90 Diakite (cap.), Louison-François (D. Diawara 79), Tokala, Kanoute, Zorgani, Gueï, Lefort, Makrat (Mazouni 72), Negreche, Sow, Yosri (A. Ali 62). Coach : David Giguet. PORCHEVILLE : Alexandre, Koffi, Ajouagu (Lauret 56), Klaczinski, Deme (Brajli 76), Nedélec (Harel 77), Baradji, Ghermaoui, Kharbouch, Mammeri, Mendi. Coach : Franck Stient. The result lifts Red Star off the foot of the table, and next week they play La Garenne Colombes in another crucial game. Taïmmy Negreche lobs the Pocheville goalkeeper and scores the decisive goal UNDERSTRENGTH RED STAR SLUMP AT HOME TO NANCY Red Stars' first XI again rang the changes and lost 2-0 at home to Nancy reserves. Coach Bruno Naidons' task was not helped by a first minute injury to striker Mickaël Marquet, whom played on until half time as virtually a spectator. At the interval Marquet was replaced by Bouzid Yosri. The idea was that Yosri was held back so that he could start the reserve game the folowing day, being under 23 years of age (complcated French league rulings again !). Marquets' future is in doubt at Red Star, as is linked to a move to the island of La Réunion to continue his career in the Indian Ocean. On the subject of La Réunion, a recent arrival from this island is Johan Bénard, and he once again got a starting shirt in the game gainst Nancy, acquitting himself well on the left side of defence. Once again the defence was reshuffled to cater for the reserves' teams needs as well as suspensions to key players. Back came José N'Seke on the right, and the central partnership was made up of David Pinto and the youngster Ismaël Gakou. Christophe Ali started the game whilst on the subs' bench was Nicolas Fabiano, his first game since four minutes played at Sochaux earlier this season. Nancy score their second goal and the game is virtually all over Mickaël Marquet injured inthe first minute pf play José Nseke and Red Stars' captain on the day Sébastien Robert Christopher Ali & Bruno Naidon Andy Ali L-r : Nicolas Fabiano, Yannick Berthier & David Pinto ELSEWHERE Red Stars' under 18s drew 2-2 with Brétigny in a top of the table clash. The Under 13s beat Créteil 4-2 and can breath a sigh of relief in their bid to stay at the top level of Parisian football. The under 15s beat leaders Le Blanc-Mesnil 1-0, to the delight of coach Jean-Claude Ouré, putting behind them the disappointment of the league cup defeat against PSG. Happy, the under 13s TRIBUTE TO CHRISTIAN MASSARD Red Stars' Old Boys XI played a game in memorial of Christian Massard, a former Red Star player whom passed away in 2006. The game took place at Meaux, against the local Old Boys XI, who ran out 3-2 winners. Red Stars' second goal was a penalty scored by goalkeeper Xavier Perez. A minutes' silence for Christian Massard : Chazottes, Pérez, Martinho, Amorfini AND FINALLY CYRIL... ...and finally Esther, we'd like to wish all our friends in Sri Lanka a very happy New Year... Suba Aluth Avuruddak Vewa ! Puthandu Vaalthukal !

Updated 8^th April 2008

GRIM WEEKEND Red Star coach Bruno Naidon rang the changes for the trip east to face Mulhouse, a side desperately in need of points in the struggle against relegation. With Red Stars' reserves having a vital clash the next day in the DSR against leaders Racing, the idea was to strengthen the second string in the battle against relegation. So, into the first XI came full-backs Ismaël Gakou and Johan Bénard, Sallé Kanouté returning to football after a long lay-off, whilst the subs bench was made up of twins Andy and Christopher Ali, Soufiane Mazouni, Taoufik Makkrat and the youngest of the Diawara brothers, Demba. Red Star got off to a fine start when Noël Moukila followed up his wonder goal against Metz with his second goal since recovering from injury. The lead was not to last long, however, and the hosts drew level. As the game was heading to a draw, Mulhouse snatched a critical win with a goal deep into stoppage time. Disappointment for the travelling support, but encouragement can be drawn from the performances of the newcomers to the side. Note also the presence of striker Mickaël Marquet, on the road to recovery from a long injury. Despite being not fully fit, Marquet turned in an admirable performance and almost won the game for Red Star. Brothers Christopher and Andy Ali, Johan Benard, Yannick Berthier, Ismaël Gakou and Sofiane Mazouri Mickaël Marquet Taoufik Makkrat, Soufiane Mazouri, Demba Diawara, Christopher & Andy Ali on the bench RESERVES DEEP IN TROUBLE AFTER LOSS Despite being reinforced by several first team regulars, the reserves lost 2-1 at home to leaders Racing and now the future looks very grim for coach David Giguets' men. Racing took the lead after twenty minutes, and shortly afterwards Moussa Ouattara was shown a red card, somewhat harshly according to sources present at the game. Despite the handicap of playing with one man less than their opponents, Red Star dominated affairs and drew level through a Greg Lefort free kick. However a late penalty cruelly robbed Red Star of all illusions and the trapdoor of relegation opens wider and wider with six games remaining. Grégory Lefort equalises from a free kick ONE BRIGHT SPOT ..however is the fine 2-0 win for the under 18s, as a curtain raiser to the reserves game on Sunday. Four points now separate the four clubs in the championship race, (Entente SSG, Créteil & Brétigny plus Red Star), with six games remaining, including three against their title rivals. Red Stars' under 18s celebrate the win ELSEWHERE.. The under 15s exited from the League Cup on Sunday at the Camp des Loges, home of Paris Saint-Germain. Red Star took the lead only to have a man dismissed, PSG equalising shortly afterwards. In the second period Red Star had another player red-carded, followed by another, finishing the game with only eight players. PSG ran out 7-1 winners.

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