MATCH REPORTS SEASON 2000-2001 RED STAR 93

AS POISSY-RED STAR 93, 21/10/2000 (Coupe de France 5th round)

Poissy-Red Star 93, 21/10/2000
Referee : M. Goulard, Assistants M. Lissorgue & M Bernardet– Attendance 250.
Goals : Ferhaoui (73), Rangdet (81), Milton (85)
Bookings : Sinobab (23), T. Meunier (26), Basilio (66)- Saci (38), Tacalfred (76)

JOB DONE, BUT...

Red Star did the job against an awkward Poissy side, but apart from one or two moments never looked like not doing the job. Poissy played well enough, perhaps a little above their usual standard, but Red Star for once showed who was the boss.

Whereas Poissy never really threated despite playing some good approach work, an element of creeping doubt in the minds of the Red Star players stifled the game of the visitors. The scoreline proved the difference in class - it was just up to Red Star to find their game and to do it. The early part of the game was awful - Poissy laboured hard whilst their oppoennts struggled to put two passes together. Midfield was totally anonymous with Traoré and Ferhaoui being invisible, whilst up from Saci tried too much on his own and Rangdet received no service whatsoever, apart from a few moves involving Aïchour and Rudy Perron. In fact, Red Stars' game seemd to be concentrated down the right-hand side, whereas the best moves originated down the left, where there appeared to be more exploitable space. In defence Natchimie looked to be at times lacking in positional sense and confidence, but was covered by the experienced Saxemard. Busuttil limped off after twenty or so minutes and his replacement Tacalfred joined in the game of "lack of confidence", splaying balls haphazardly and often getting caught in posession. Thierry Meunier suceeded in perforating Red Stars' defence on one occasion only for Branger to turn the ball away for a corner. Red Star responded through Saci (16) and two from Aïchour (30 & 32).

Just after the break, Poissy sneaked the ball away from a dozing Red Star at the kick-off (typical of the game) and won a corner only for two of the floodlight pylons to fail, snapping the stadium into mid-darkness. After a twenty minute delay, the game resumed with the aborted corner, plucked out of the air by Jean-Marc Branger. Girard brought on Serreau for the limping Castro and the difference was immediate. With a yard of extra pace against a tiring Poissy, Serreau stirred his team mates into action.

Ironically, the first goal came, a little against the run of play from an unlikely source. FERHAOUI, who had been harangued by some Red Star supporters, picked a loose ball up on the edge of the penalty area, set off an a run (more of a walk, actually), slipped one defender, reached the dead ball line and rolled a feeble cross towards the middle of the six yard box. As the Poissy goalkeeper fell to intercept the cross, the ball slipped out of his grasp and trickled over the line into the goal. From the stands, it seemed that the ball hadn't enough speed to touch the back of the net ! Poissy tried to get on equal terms, and a header by Basilio from a center from Salgado flashed wide.

As tiredness set in, Red Star and Serreau profited, and a fin run-and-cross from the substitute led to the second goal, swept home majestically by Yoann RANGDET. Another corner won by the visitors, and Girards decided to make his last change, bringing on Gérald Milton for Rangdet. This turned out to be a brilliant tactical move, as MILTON thumped home from the corner with his first kick of the game, after fifteen seconds of being on the pitch.

In all, a deserved result, the right team won, despite some heroic individual performances by the home side.

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