By achieving the first victory in its history against Nagorno-Karabakh (1-0), the Selecioun made up for their defeat the previous day. The players from the County of Nice secured the first win in Selecioun’s history on Tuesday evening. Thanks to a goal by Olivier Sborgni in the 8th minute, they clinched the win they needed to reach the quarter-finals of the ConIFA World Cup in Östersund, Sweden.
With a largely reshuffled lineup compared to the previous day (only Gignoli and Migliore were retained), the Selecioun started the match the right way. Also bolstered by the arrival of former professional Mansour Assoumani, the Gioria-Mattio led team managed to control the game. After 8 minutes of play, Loïc Malatini delivered a free kick to Olivier Sborgni who, with a good header, scored the only goal of the match.
A quarter of an hour later, Kevin Puyoo, a player from Portugal’s third division, received a harsh red card on his first foul. This numerical disadvantage was short-lived as the players from Nagorno-Karabakh also went down to ten men. From the sidelines, captain Eric Cubilier also received a red card following a minor scuffle.
Thanks in part to the physical power of Malik Tchokounte, the Gym managed to hold onto their lead. Despite seven minutes of stoppage time and a missed penalty in the final moments, the Selecioun secured their quarter-final spot through grit and determination. Three red cards in two matches: if not blessed by refereeing, these guys surely have character!
This Wednesday at 10 am – already – the players from the County of Nice will face Padania, the tournament favorite. For this match, Puyoo, Cubilier (both red carded), and Buthiaux (two yellow cards in two matches) will be suspended. Denis Brunner, who was sent off in the first match, will be eligible to rejoin the team.
The Nice 11: Martinez – Gignoli, Assoumani, Sborgni, Puyoo – Migliore, Onda – Sanches, Malatini, Jaziri – Tchokounte
Substitutions: Ferreri, Buthiaux, Delerue
Learn all about the Selecioun: https://www.laselecioun.com
Crouching: Malatini, Sanches Silva, Puyoo, Gignoli, Jaziri, Migliore
