At the Geoffroy-Guichard stadium,
ASSE is still breathing. Absolutely adrift for more than a month, with all the uncertainties about the future of the coach as well as that of a future buyer, the Saint-Etienne club offered itself a sacred air bubble on Sunday evening by upsetting the plans of the Lyon neighbor (1-1). Listening to Timothée Kolodziejczak, his team surprised itself to stand up to the band against Lucas Paqueta.
“In this match, we regained confidence, we let go and we had opportunities, appreciates the defender of the Greens. We tried to set up a game forward. We had a lot less technical waste than in previous matches. And we did not lower our heads after taking the goal. It’s encouraging to come back like this in a derby in which everyone saw us losing. “Getting 18 shots (seven on target), including two attempts on the uprights of Anthony Lopes, cannot be anecdotal in the face of a formation of the size of OL.
“We are last, we assume it and we close it”
Claude Puel, who may have obtained a reprieve thanks to this unexpected performance in such a high profile match, did not make it a personal matter: “I am happy for the players that they are rewarded for their stubbornness and their investment. exceptional. For a long time, we believed that we could not get rid of the scoumoune, with the head of Wahbi Khazri on the post and the strike of Lucas Gourna-Douath on the crossbar ”.
But ASSE finally had a bit of success, between the three goals refused for offside Lyon side (including that of Shaqiri for a few millimeters before the break), and the decisions signed by VAR to expel Anthony Lopes (74th) then award the equalizer penalty for a hand from Jason Denayer countering a header from Jean-Philippe Krasso. Unhappy so far (a post but also a goal refused for offside), Wahbi Khazri therefore blew up the Cauldron for good in added time (1-1, 90th + 5). Before enjoying at the microphone of Amazon Prime.
It’s almost like a win tonight. We discovered a lot, we did not hesitate to go one against one behind. It’s that the team wants to move forward. We’re not going to let go until the end. We know that it will surely be a difficult season. I hear bullshit that the players would care about the club’s sale, that’s not true. We must assume, when we are not good, we are not good. We will not forget our situation, we are last, we assume it, we close it and we work. “
Only Claude Puel received a bronca at the announcement of the team compositions
With obviously a question at the end of this beautiful evening: can this group transcend itself in other circumstances than a derby at home? Will he really present a similar face after the international break on October 17 (3 p.m.) in Strasbourg? “We will have to repeat this kind of performance to get out of the red zone,” slice Timothée Kolodziejczak. Tonight, there was a lot of commitment, heart, solidarity, and we have to keep that. “
The salvation of ASSE in Ligue 1 will be played there, while the first non-relegation, Troyes, is two points from the Greens, and that we will have to think about finally winning a match, for the 10th day of the championship in Alsace. . The main satisfaction of the Saint-Etienne evening is found in this osmosis between players and supporters, with two kops totally boosted throughout the meeting on Sunday, even at 0-1 for almost an hour. Apart from the bronca received by Claude Puel at the announcement of the team rosters before the kick-off, there was only encouragement in the Cauldron during this derby.
“The public suffers with us”
“It is important that the supporters see that their players are involved, decrypts the coach of ASSE. We are in a delicate situation and we need to be together. The kops made it clear that they were not with Claude Puel, but on the other hand well alongside this team which remained open to dialogue after the debacle suffered the previous week against OGC Nice (0-3). “It was legitimate that the public is not happy,” confides “Kolo”. When you are AS Saint-Etienne, you cannot be last in Ligue 1. So I understand the frustration, the nervousness and the anger of the supporters. Today, we did honor to this jersey and they gave us strength. “
Rather in sight for his first tenure for seven months, Ryad Boudebouz also immediately had a thought for this public “who suffers with us”. The green people have clearly not been spoiled for a long time, in view of the two previous seasons (17th and 11th in L1). Also amazing in the derby, Zaydou Youssouf even went there with his declaration of love for the fervor displayed by the supporters on Sunday evening: “It’s incredible, there are no words to describe this sensation, it” is so beautiful ”. It is up to the Greens to ensure that this love story found endures beyond the derby.