Referee : M. Guiblong, assistants : M. Morice & M. Godefroy. Attendance 200
Booked : Busuttil (12 & 21), A. Gomis (42), Andersson (44) – Hamed (31), E. Thomas (83)
Red : R. Gomis (68).
Goals : A. Gomis (26 pen & 35) – Jbari (25), Hamed (77 pen).
RED STAR 93 : Bruneau, Pendola, Santos, R Gomis, Perron, Anderson, Soumaré, Busuttil, Sabin, Saiti (Sarrea 70), A Gomis (Gomes Varela 82). Sub : NGoma. Coach : J.L. Girard.
TROYES : Heurlié, E. Thomas, Renier (Ntoya 52ème), Pferzel, Zambernardi, Moukoko, Mendy (Campion 71), Hamed, Ziani, Jbari, Amouya, Campion, Ntoya. Sub : Dossou. Entr. C. Lopez.
ENTERTAINMENT, AT LEAST
Four goals, Red Star reduced to nine and plenty of incident in this game. Technically outclassed by a Troyes reserve team containing several professional players, Red Star made up the deficit with plenty of gusto and hard graft. Perhaps a little too much, as after only twelve minutes skipper Franck Busuttil ploughed into a Troyes player, leaving the referee no option but to brandish a yellow card. Minutes later, and right under the eyes of Monsieur Guiblong, Busuttil, who really ought to know better again clattered rather clumsily an opponent, and was instructed to go and take an early bath.
Shortly after the ball was only half cleared to Jbari on the edge of the box, and he fired a crisp low drive past Bruneau (0-1). Howeve, straight from the kick-off Red Star hit back, and Sabin was clumsily bundled over in the penalty area. Arthur GOMIS, for the second week running made no mistake with the spot kick and gave renewed hope to the home side. (1-1).
Plenty more incident left in the first period - ten minutes fter drawing level, Arthur GOMIS found himself on the edge of the penalty area, having sprung the offside trap, and he doubled his tally and gave Red Star a 2-1 lead.
Despite being reduced to ten, Red Star looked good for a win, ande despite several efforts from Troyes, Fabrice Bruneau was in good form and kept them at bay. Pendola was having an excellent game at right-back, and Perron, taking over the captains' arm band was regal in center of the defence. Unfortunately the game turned on another red card incident - this time Robert Gomis hammered an opponent with an awful tackle from behind, again just alongside the referee, and he too joined his captain in the dressing room. Cries of the referees' a bastard from the stands, but in fairness the offence deserved a red card.
Red Star reorganised, but from a corner a defender was judged to have handled in his penalty area, and Hamed (photo) put the penalty away to draw the scores level (2-2). Before that, however, Gomis should have buried the game, as he and Sabin sprung the offside trap, but rather selfishly he opted to try and beat the goalkeeper single handed instead of passing to his better-placed partner. Result, ball scrambled clear by the Troyen defence.
In the dying seconds, Fabrice Bruneau excelled as Troyes tried long-range efforts. In the end a draw, but a worthy draw. Had Red Star managed to keep a full compliment for the ninety minutes, who knows, but they didn't and two points slipped from their grasp.
Performances - Bruneau was excellent, Pendola worked very hard at right back, Andersson tired very quickly, made lots of mistakes in the latter stages of the game, should hve really been substituted by N'Goma - one bright spot was the introduction of Sarrea, who put in two excellent tackles. Negative points - the two players sent off were both professionals last season, should really know better. Robert Gomis is becoming a liability with too many red cards...
As for the supporters, once again vociferous and got behind their team - so who are the so-called "dead branches", then Messrs the club management ???