Gameiro nabs the winner to keep Strasbourg on the hunt
THE GAME
Strasbourg traveled east to west across France knowing they needed the win to put pressure on Nice, who play in the Coupe de France final later today, and stay in the heart of the race to fifth place. If the Riviera team were beaten by Nantes at the Stade de France, sixth place in the Ligue 1 Uber Eats rankings would no longer qualify for European football.
Brest, however, had won four and lost one of their last six, and Michel Der Zakarian’s men boasted their club’s second-best points tally at this stage of the season, bettered only in 1986. /87. When Steve Mounié headed just wide at the start of the match (3rd), Strasbourg’s concerns about a bumpy course were confirmed.
Habib Diallo started alongside Gameiro in attack with Ludovic Ajorque surprisingly confined to the substitutes’ bench at kick-off – the Senegal international made the visitors’ first serious effort when he saw Marco Bizot double his strike at the start. outside (19′) after Brest had led the opening exchanges.
Julien Stephan’s men had shown their resilience by fighting back late to salvage a draw against new champions Paris Saint-Germain last week, and they needed that determination again early at Stade Francis Le Blé before the quality of their ranks only begin to reveal themselves. .
Gameiro may turn 35 on Monday, but the former France international striker still has an exceptional ability to put the ball in the back of the net. He almost did just after the half-hour mark (33rd), but after being superbly spotted by Adrien Thomasson’s pass, his first side kick ricocheted off the crossbar.
The luck of the former PSG striker seemed to be there. Shortly after the break, he saw Bizot thwart him one-on-one (49′) as Brest valiantly sought to extend their unbeaten run to four league games, and tried to fight their way into the top half of the League 1 Uber Eats table.
They might have been able to beat Youcef Belaïli against Matz Sels (65th) shortly before Gameiro was finally rewarded for his efforts. Jean-Ricner Bellegarde’s ball split the local defense, and while Christophe Hérelle resumed in vain, Gameiro – after seeing Bizot parry his first attempt – returned to goal (72nd).
A VAR check proved Gameiro’s run was well timed; the same technology then sealed Strasbourg’s victory – their first in three league games – and lifted them over Nice on goal difference as Martin Satriano was found offside in the move that saw him finish on a reversal of Mounié (75 ‘) .
THE PLAYER: Kevin Gameiro
Once again, the former Atletico Madrid, Valencia and Sevilla striker’s class says it all, and his goal – his 11th of the league season – could be vital to winning European football from Strasbourg with home games against Clermont and Marseille to come.
THE STAT: 13
It was Strasbourg’s first away win in Ligue 1 since February 13, when a Gameiro goal gave them a 1-0 victory at Angers.
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