Goal : Kébé (75), Berueco (45)
Attendance : 200; Refere : M. Chartois, assistants M. Jockem & Munoz
Booked : Hamdane (12), Hammami (16), Priso-Yaya (35), Kor (83) - Benyahia (18), Boulanger (27), Closson (64), El Kallouki (68), Dorant (86)
Sent off : Hamdane (75) - Closson (72)
RED STAR : Benassi, Yessad, Sahridj (Fissirou), Hamami (Korr), Santos, Hamdane, Kébé, Nemouthié, Mongin, Priso-Yaya (Carles), Lakrout. Coach : M. Ousfane
ORLEANS : Gordien, Jouin, Benyahia, Dorant, Goyon, Peilleron, Boulanger, Closson, Berueco, El Kallouki, Mengouchi (Zanutto 82). Coach : J. Germain.
BUT I PAID TO WATCH NINETY MINUTES !!
It has to be said, the first half was dire... only the visitors threatened to break the stalemate. And stale it was. On a heavy pitch, the most notable participant was the match official, who failed completely to take into consideration the conditions, and continued to brandish his yellow card as if it was too hot to store in his pocket.
Just before the interval, Red Stars' defence cracked. A free kick on the right as Orléans atacked, lofted into the middle where the big gangly Orléans centre-forward deviated its trajectory into the net past Benassi. A goal typical of Tony Cascarino, among others...
The game changed at half time with the introduction of the popular and efficient Anderson Korr, playing in a more offensive midfield role. Suddenly Red Star appeared to have more impetus, and on more than one occasion came very close to equalising. With a quarter of an hour left the goal came, brought about by some enterprising play by Anderson Korr. His pin point pass split the Orléans defence, leaving Kébé free to brilliantly slot the ball past the visitors' keeper. It was what Red Star deserved, and they really should have pressed home their advantage, especially when the visitors had a man sent off for a second yellow card. The numerical superiority did not last long however, and the combative Hamdane received his second yellow for being prehaps a little over-combative. The high number of yellow cards was not a real reflection of the game, however - more over-zealous refereeing than nastiness. In fact the game was played in a good spirit.
So, two points lost, but it could have been worse. An analysis of Red Stars' current form reveals that away from home they appear to have done the hard part in opening the scoring, but then fall away and lose. At home, they let the other team score and thus build themselves a mountain to climb in order to get back into the game.
As for performances, plus points to virtually all of the players, especially Anderson Korr. In defence, Santos Yessad and Kébé looked solid, Sahridj ran his socks off and the DH goalkeeper Benassi made an impressive debut. Nemouthié showed some good touches, but at times appeared a little lazy, but Lakrout threatened to do something every time he received the ball. Mongin and Priso Yaya were anonymous, and faild to make an impression on a solid defence.
© AllezRedStar.com 2002