| Referee : M.Sergeant, assistants M. Legrand & M Calio - attendance 300. Goals : Saci (12), Van Kets (82), Faye (90) – Edouard (58), Hameau (72), El Hajri (81). Bookings : Traoré (16), Oponga (35), Saci (74) – Bellanger (8), Sylva (62), Denoyers (83). SENT OFF : Traoré (47) – Edouard (79) |
For the neutral supporter, one could say that this was a good spectacle - six goals, two sendings off and the home team coming from being 3-1 down to earn a point with two goals in the last five minutes. But then again, as Red Star supporters, we just aren't neutral.
To be honest, Pacy were robbed. Red Stars' under pressure coach may moan about the sending-off of Traoré, which tipped the balance in favour of the visitors, but then again, when his side used numerical superiority to stretch into a 3-1 advantage, Pacy coach Laurent Hatton saw his side reduced to ten and Red Star come bck to take a point.
Red Star started off well enough, and the comeback man Hakim Saci looked a lively handful for the visitors' defence. On twelve minutes, the persistence of Ibrahima Faye paid off when his hooked in cross was met in the six yard box by SACI, who then bundled the ball over the line. (1-0). Pacy opened up their game a little in search of an equaliser, but with Red Stars' defence coping well, the score remained in their favour, and the home side held onto their advantage into the break.
Before most Red Star supporters had regained their places after the break, The home side were reduced to ten, with a second yellow card for the largely ineffective Traoré. Pacy then used the superiority to mount the pressure and duly equalized with a fine goal from Edouard on the hour. Red Stars' defence then seemed to lose the plot completely, and substitute Hameau could not hide his delight when plunging to head home another excellent goal, his first of the season. The sending-off of Pacy's Edouard brough the sides to ten men each. With nine minutes remaining Pacy looked to have buried the game when El Hajri scored a third, which even brought the home supporters to their feet, such was the quality of the goal.
But, as Pacy celebrated, VAN KETS forced a consolation goal for the Red Star, or so it seemed. (2-3). Red Star piled on the pressure as Pacy somewhat wilted and failed to reorganise following the dismissal. Red Star won a corner, Jean-Marc Branger abandoned his goal to try his luck at the other end, but instead of swinging a corner into the box, Red Star played the corner short, and of course Pacy intercepted. As Branger ran back, Pacy hesitated slightly in breaking out, and an attempted lob from the halfway line hit the post with only Busuttil present to hack the ball away. The let off was to prove vital for Red Star, when deep into stoppage time Ibrahima FAYE finally connected sweetly with a poor clearance to bring the scores level. (3-3).
To conclude, Red Star cannot defend, Lemées' defensive tactics are woeful. Attack is sometimes stifled by a lack of support, Van Kets often finding himslef alone. Saci helped things enormously, but has a tendancy to do too much on his own. Ibrahima Faye is excellent, but in attacking leaves his defence vulnerable. Franck Busuttil is starting to rediscover the form of his last stay at Red Star, some excellent crosses being the proof. More work still to be done, but at this rate Lemée will have to go some to avoid being dismissed.