MATCH REPORTS 2001-2002  RED STAR 93

LES LILAS 2 RED STAR : 1
Saturday 13th April 2002

Att : 250 – Referee : M. Chat, assistants M. Jean & M. Guédni.
Goals : Miherre (22), S. Dembele (27) - Soumare (30)
Bookings : Madjoub (68) – R. Gomis (16), Sabin (69), Saïti (84)
Off : R. Gomis (88).

LES LILAS : Magniez, Huet, Buissart, A. Dembele, Fourier (Etienne 61) Miherre, Convert, Dniguier, A. Coton (Madjoub 55), S. Dembele, , Saada (Rogin 82). Coach : B. Coton
RED STAR 93 : Bruneau, Pendola (Gomes Varela 60), Santos, Perron, R. Gomis, Andersson (Moreau 73), Soumare (Sissokho 66), Busuttil, Sabin, Saïti, A. Gomis. Coach : J.L. Girard.

BLOWN IT ?

Once again Red Star were let down by the violent conduct of one individual, the actions of whom effectively ended Red Stars' hopes of a comeback, in the last few minutes.
An absolutely dire performance, arguably the worst of the season could have possibly dented Red Stars' hopes of promotion once and for all. Indeed, with this, the whole future of the club is thrown into jeopardy - can the club stand another season in the depths of the CFA ?
Whatever, the match was effectively decided in a period of eight minutes midway throught the first half. Sabin should have given the visitors the lead, but his effort was turned away by Les Lilas' goalkeeper for a corner. Moments later, the home side went one up when the unmarked Miherre had the time to place a fine header past Bruneau. Red Star had barely time to settle before it was two - Santos outpaced and Dembele rifled a low shot into the net. Shellshocked, Red Star hauled themselves back into the game as SOUMARE made a nuisance of himself in the six yard area, and tapped home a close-range effort (2-1).
After it was basically all Red Star, but all huffing and puffing without really troubling Magniez. In the second half, Red Star had virtually all the play, but the best chance nevertheless fell to Les Lilas, as Fabrice Bruneau fingertipped a shot onto the post and out to safety.
The match came to a boil in the last couple of minutes. Robert Gomis, who seemed pretty determined to do what his strikers had failed to do all afternoon and show a bit of bite, unfortunately showd too much, and his frustration boiled over as he head butted a Lilas defender. The crack could be heard all around the ground. The defender went down, the players all pushed and jostled, finally after a brief pause Monsieur Chat produced a red card to Gomis. The latter reacted in an apalling manner - he chased after the referee, pulled him by the shirt and continued to attack the man in yellow despite all the other players efforts to keep him away. In the end, Fabrice Bruneau raced out of his goal to escort Gomis back to the changing rooms, along with his friend and former colleague Mahdjoub.
After that, and a long period of stoppage time, the game died a death, and Red Star failed to get back into the game.
Gomis, given his woeful disciplinary record risks to have his season ended abruptly. Quite honestly he deserves it - one cannot condone behaviour like that, and Red Star as a club risk to have a fine imposed on them. The match is best forgotten, but it cannot be dismissed as easily as that, due to the fact that it had such an importance on Red Stars' promotion hopes.
Elsewhere, Vincent Guérin was merely a spectator - dropped for no apparent reason - again one does not know the machinations of the club, one could assume that Jean-Claude Bras has once again intervened in team affairs and yes-man Girard has gone along. Still no Franck Guidali either - an incredible waste. What is happening at Red Star ? With promotion once a likelihood, it appears that the club once again wants to self-destruct...
On the field, Pendola was never in the game and was replaced by Gomes-Varela; Arthur Gomis was anonymous again; Sabin hopeless - cannot pass, cannot control the ball; Soumaré the most likely was substituted for God knows what reason (much to his disgust, as he spent the rest of the match still in his kit, with the supporters); Saïti inefficent; Perron excellent in defence, but he didn't have a lot to do; the rest, fairly nondescript.
As for the stadium - I've seen better in the Northern Counties - one stand, a running track but no fences, admittedly. And it cost € 6 to get in - who are they kidding...? All in all one to write off as a bad day.

© AllezRedStar.com 2002

MATCH REPORTS 2001-2002

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