RED STAR 93 - GFCO AJACCIO, 2/12/2000 (National, Week 17)
| Referee : M. Ruffray, assistants M. Cauvet & M. Meslin - attendance : 300 Goals : Rangdet (81) – Léonetti (90) Bookings - none |
| Referee : M. Ruffray, assistants M. Cauvet & M. Meslin - attendance : 300 Goals : Rangdet (81) – Léonetti (90) Bookings - none |
After a drubbing at Clermont and further humiliation at the hands of amaterus in the cup, Red Star restored a little pride at home to high-flying Ajaccio, but had to settle for a point in a good 1-1 draw.
The first half was largely unforgettable, other then a looping shot from Rudy Perron just over the bar, and some good work by the dangerous Serreau. Ajaccio occasionally looked dangerous, but a back four of Perron, Traoré, Saxemard and Natchimie largely held the Corsicans at bay. In the second half, however, Red Star looked a completely different outfit, and wave after wave of attacks rained on the visitors. The much-maligned Olivier Saragaglia showed a hitherto unseen facet to his game, posing an attacking threat when he decided to drop his normal laid-back game and to inject a bit of pace into procedings. Red Star toiled against a composed visitors' defence - Van Kets shot across the face of the goal, then missed a sitter seconds later. At the other end Serreau hooked the ball off the line with Branger beaten by a rare Ajaccio attack.
It was the introduction of the youngster Rangdet which paved the way for the opening goal for Red Star. Milton, persistent down the left-hand flank arced over a tempting cross, nodded over the advancing goalkeeper by RANGDET to give the hosts the lead. The youngsters' celebrations inspired the crowd - a display of badge-kissing on his shirt right in front of the main stand at Marville.
But, just as they did in a recent game at Pacy, Ajaccio woke up and in the dying seconds, after a series of attacks, Léonetti bundled the ball over the line to earn his side a point and to disppoint the home crowd.
At the end of the game there was scuffling in the players' tunnel involving one of Red Stars' backroom staff (actually a self-important jerk) and soem of the supporters, naturally upset.
Finally, a comment for the referee - despite Ajaccio scoring in time added on, which probably seems justified in the cold light of day, but no bookings, and the first piece of sensible refereeing we've seen for a long time at Marville - a suffle between an Ajaccio player and Traoré, which might have ended in two red cards, produced nothing but a few sensible words from the official. If only they were all like that.