RED STAR 4 AUBERVILLIERS 0 (1-0)
DH Week 26
Stade Bauer, 16/05/04
Goals : Baldé (35), N’Simba (69), Delaneuville (76), Gassama (80)
Attendance : 500 - referee : M. Banale assisted by M. Damo & M. Cravo
Booked : Haidara (71)
RED STAR : Germain, Diomande, Hammami, Yessad, Fourneuf, N’Simba, Delanauville, Cuervo Gassama (73), Benmesmoudi (Dao 80), Desmarets, Baldé (Gueï 66). Coach: J.L. Girard
AUBERVILLIERS : Hadjara, Mete, Tachouaft (Bathilly 46), Haïdara, M’Bock, Izem (Amoura 38 then César 77), Sarhane, Allué, Landre, Z. Belkebla, Youcef. Coach: J. César & K. Belkebla
Philippe Cuervo
CLASS
Red Star closed their league campaign in fine style at a sun-bathed Bauer, watched by around five hundred spectators. In fact, it was an exhibition of what Jean-Luc Girards' youngsters are capable of. From the goalkeeper to the front line and the subs' bench, Red Star were awesome at times and the opening goal which finally broke down Aubervilliers' resistance must be the goal of the season.
With just over half an hour gone, Red Star were dominating affairs and only the superb acrobatics of the Auber 'keeper Hadjara kept the scoresheet blank. As shots rained in on the visitors' goal, the Red Star faithful were half-expecting a repeat of last seasons' fixture where Aubervilliers stone-walled Red Stars' attack for ninety minutes. Not this time, however, Red Stars' strikers are a more serious proposition. Alhaji BALDE, a man in form was the one to break the deadlock. And some goal it was too. If Ronaldo or Van Nistelroy had put that one in, it would have been splashed all over the papers the next day and repeated for time immemorial on football shows.
The goal in fact started at the back with Germain rolling the ball out to Hammami. An accurate pass to Delaneuville set Cuervo away down the right. His cross appeared to have gone a little behind Baldé, but as the young striker told AllezRed Star.com, "If I'd had headed it I wouldn't have been able to put any power behind it, so I thought to myself I'll have a go and see what happens, and there's the result !". The result was his bicycle kick sending the ball past the bewildered goalie into the bottom of the net and the home supporters in raptures.
A fantastic goal which was the catalyst for some scintillating football on a beautiful pitch. In the second half Red Star threatened to run riot, with only Hadjara keeping them at bay. Finally with Aubervilliers' defence at full stretch and tiring rapidly, a poor clearance fell to Reevis N'SIMBA on the edge of the box who fired home a low drive into the bottom corner (2-0). Seven minutes later Red Star on a breakaway found Yoann DELANEUVILLE on the edge of a low cross to score from close range (3-0). Big Franck Guei had come on as substitute and that was the last thing a tiring Auber defence needed. His power and presence was felt immediately, and another substitute rounded off the scoring with ten minutes remaining. From the right hand side of the penalty area Azzedine Benmesmoudi looked to have slipped as he crossed, but the ball fell beautifully into the path of GASSAMA who lashed the ball into the roof of the net for his first goal for Red Star. (4-0).
A fantastic performance to round off the league campaign. Coach Girard was pleased with his young charges at the end of the game, and expressed his satisfaction in an exclusive interview with AllezRedStar.com.
He had reason to be proud. Fourneuf, Yessad, Hammmami and Diomande were excellent in defence, although the latter pair were required more in attack than defence, such was Red Stars' dominance. Germain was only threatened twice in the first half and once at the start of the second. In midfield Delaneuville showed captains' class alongside the non-stop running of Desmarets, the craft of Cuervo and the subtility of the ever-improving N'Simba. Up front Benmesmoudi was a real handful for the visitors' defence and Baldé provied the class finish to open the game up. Please can we more of that, lads ?
© AllezRedStar.com 2004