Blas scored the second Nantes goal against Brest. – Fred TANNEAU / AFP
- The Canaries went to win quietly (1-4) in Brest this Sunday afternoon.
- Nantes coach Antoine Kombouaré said he was “impressed by the performance of his players”.
- Nantes is still 18th in L1 with two points ahead of Nîmes, 19th.
The Canaries are accelerating at the best time. This Sunday, the FC Nantes went to create a small sensation by winning 4-1 on the ground of Brest. For the first time this season, the Nantes club has two successes after the victory (1-2) in Strasbourg a week ago.
With this seventh success combined with the draw (2-2) of Nîmes on its lawn against Reims, Nantes consolidates its place as a play-off (18th) slightly removing the specter of direct relegation in L2 (two points ahead of the 19th Nîmes). “I am impressed by the performance of my players,” coach Antoine Kombouaré analyzed after the meeting. We came here to win, to score goals, but I didn’t think so. If my players are able to surprise me like that, I take! “
“Confidence has returned”
This Sunday, the Canaries, yet prematurely deprived of their central defender Jean-Charles Castelletto injured in the back (11th), built their victory at the Francis-Le-Blé stadium with method and a certain brilliance. Articulated in 4-2-3-1 with a medium still just as playful and fair with the Louza-Chirivella duo, Nantes immediately put its paw on this match with an opener from Moses Simon (0-1, 15th) , following a fault in the hand of the Brest goalkeeper Gautier Larsonneur on a vicious shot from Imran Louza.
Faced with Brestois out of the shot, Ludovic Blas gave even more confidence to his teammates by doubling the bet of a cannonball in the 27th (0-2) at the entrance to the penalty area. Applied, Nantes never seemed to be caught up in speed, except on a strike from Romain Perraud in the 16th. “Brest did not play a great match but we also have a lot to do with it,” said Kombouaré. You had to be able to win twice in a row, which we had never done this season. It means that confidence has returned. And efficiency too. We were very strong in defense and surgical in attack, we scored on the first two situations. “
Imran Louza treats
Same application in the game, same consequence on the scoreboard in the second half. “This is the first time that we have made two solid halves, even said the Nantes coach. It’s constant in the effort, in the simplicity of the game too. »With a symbol: Imran Louza. The midfielder shone at his position as a torchbearer by making the Nantes ball circulation easier. Decisive on the first Nantes goal, Imran Louza, well served by Moses Simon, showed precision and lucidity to deceive with a dry strike from the left Gautier Larsonneur in the 56th (0-3, 56th).
Ecstatic offensively, Nantes even scored a fourth goal (for the first time this season) from the penalty spot thanks to Kalifa Coulibaly (Larsonneur foul on Kolo Muani) six minutes later (0-4, 62nd). Despite the reduction of the gap of Romain Faivre (1-4, 83rd), Alban Lafont showed himself decisive in his cage by leaving several parades.
Nantes, which is four points behind Lorient (17th) and Strasbourg (16th), does it have the means to get out of it, without even going through the dams? Antoine Kombouaré is almost eager to be on Saturday (1 p.m.) for the reception of Bordeaux. “I’m expecting my players next weekend. We must confirm, we have no choice, we are so late! We were very scared last week in Strasbourg, we came close to the disaster and we said to ourselves “never again”. ”