In a match lacking in opportunities and rich in technical errors on both sides, the Gym was caught out and left Hérault without a point.
Pugnacious and united in Lyon, dazzling against Rennes, the Aiglons failed to achieve a third consecutive positive result this Saturday against Montpellier at Stade de la Mosson, a stadium where they have historically struggled (only one victory since 2000).
Faced with an opponent that decided to return to their 5-3-2 tactic, Patrick Vieira lined up an identical tactical setup, which had served the Red and Blacks well in Lyon and Rennes. Youcef Atal, involved in all the good plays the previous weekend, was in the starting lineup, along with Mario Balotelli, back from injury.
The young Algerian full-back, active up and down the right wing, was the main asset of the Aiglons during the 90 minutes of a match that the Gym never managed to ignite. The match could have taken a different turn if Balotelli’s brilliant inspiration (lob from the center circle, 4th minute) had been more accurate technically. With a significant technical waste from the twenty-two players, opportunities to get excited were rare. Sambia was blocked by Benitez who had well closed his angle (8′), on the other side Balotelli attempted a difficult volley that flew high (28′).
When opportunities are scarce, set-pieces can make the difference. That could have been proven once again if Atal, with his knee, hadn’t saved Benitez on a shot by Le Tallec following a poorly cleared corner (21′).
Heroic against Lyon and Rennes, Walter Benitez was unfortunate on the only goal of the match, scored by Laborde (35′). The Argentinian goalkeeper let slip a powerful strike from Aguilar which made its way through a forest of legs. Opportunistic, the former Bordeaux player found the net and gave a lead that seemed, already, definitive, given the paucity of chances.
At the hour mark, Patrick Vieira reorganized his team into a 4-3-3 with the entry of Myziane Maolida in place of Boscagli. The Gym then held the ball a bit more, Saint-Maximin was better served on his right side, but still, the Aiglons hardly troubled Benjamin Lecomte. It was from a set-piece — yet again — that the score could have changed. Dante did not manage to head on target from a Saint-Maximin’s corner (79′), before Lees-Melou saw his goal disallowed for a dubious foul by Balotelli on his guard, after heading in a deviation from Saint-Maximin’s corner (83′). The only chance from Nice’s play in this second half was Atal’s, who executed a series of step-overs followed by a strong left-footed shot but found Lecomte in his path (81′).
Even more attacking with the entry of Srarfi, the Gym left spaces that Delort almost exploited, but his side-footed shot hit Benitez’s post (88′). Balotelli, who had earned a free kick at the edge of the area in stoppage time, had the match ball at his feet, but his right-footed curling shot went a few centimeters over the crossbar (90’+2).
The Aiglons won’t have time to dwell on the defeat as the championship will take them to Beaujoire to challenge FC Nantes (beaten at Lille on Saturday, 2-1) as early as Tuesday!
PATRICK VIEIRA’S REACTION
“We didn’t deserve much from this match. We faced a team that wanted it much more than us. We were unable to react, unable to create anything. We had trouble putting them in danger. From there, it was difficult to come away with anything. I don’t know if it’s the overconfidence due to the last two results… The Montpellier team didn’t pose us enormous problems. The difference was in the desire. In the first half, we were nonexistent. We didn’t play, didn’t win duels, we were flat. We were too timid with too little risk-taking. We played too cautiously, we had trouble freeing ourselves in the first half.”
DANTE’S REACTION
“We faced a very compact opponent that put us in difficulty. More movement in depth was needed. We couldn’t find that forward play to finish our actions. Unfortunately, we conceded a goal, and it happens. As soon as we fall behind, we put ourselves in difficulty. Montpellier is very hard to play against. We tried, it wasn’t all negative. We need to rest because there will be another battle as early as Tuesday (7 PM in Nantes).”
