Between two teams who had ended 2023 like a cannonball – five wins and a draw for the Bretons and five wins and two draws for the SCO – we could have hoped for a more thunderous start to 2024. But the Angevins clearly feared their hosts of the day and above all relied on their defense, the best in Ligue 2, and the counterattacks to hope to create a surprise.
The tactic, quite risky against a team with proven technical quality, seemed to pay off for a long time. If the match was quite pleasant, the two teams were singularly lacking in edge around the opposing surface.
Apart from a pivotal strike from Mahdi Camara, spectacularly deflected by Melvin Zinga, followed by an opportunity for Jonas Martin on the corner which followed, at the half-hour mark, the match was fairly typical of party comebacks.
At the start of the second act, the Finistériens seemed to want to step on the accelerator, Brendan Chardonnet, alone at the penalty spot, seeing his head fly away, before Zinga intervened well in front of Romain Del Castillo in the process (50th). The deliverance came with a sequence finally played at the right tempo and with determined runs.
Launched by Kenny Lala on the left, Camara crossed at the line and at ground level towards Martin Satriano at the far post, but the 22-year-old Uruguayan, on loan from Inter Milan, was beaten by Lilian Rao-Lisoa who scored against his camp (1-0, 63rd). With their backs to the wall, Angers brought in fresh blood and it almost paid off two minutes later when Pierrick Capelle appeared against Grégoire Coudert, but Brest’s number 2 goalkeeper pushed back the outside of the Angers midfielder well. (71st).
While the continuation is on very good track in the championship, the Coupe de France could be an interesting bonus in the season of a Stade Brestois which, by its game and its mentality, seems cut out for this type of competition.
On the other pitches, Paris FC won against OAC (2-1), Le Puy Foot 43 defeated SC Lyon (2-1), Romorantin largely beat Moulien (4-0) and in the duel of Nationale 1, Orléans beat Nîmes (2-1).
