Belaili embodies Ajaccio who stuns Strasbourg
THE GAME
Belaili joined Ajaccio after falling out of favor with Brest earlier this season, but looked unlikely to be the hero of the day when the hosts – winless in three games – appeared to have been pulled from the game early on.
Jean-Ricner Bellegarde brought home a superb free kick after Ismaël Diallo handled outside the penalty area (6th), then Kevin Gameiro scored his fifth league goal of the season to make it 2-0 to visitors, controlling Alexander. Head of Djiku on the chest before masterfully lobbing Benjamin Leroy (17th).
Without a win themselves in three matches, Strasbourg looked set to win this first top-flight encounter between the two since February 2006, but it was to count one of the most remarkable comebacks for many seasons as the hosts resumed in somehow. initiative.
Thomas Delaine’s hand is penalized with a free kick that Belaïli scores (33rd), and barely 60 seconds later, Mounaïm El Idrissy catches Romain Hamouma’s pass flush (34th). Matz Sels then stopped a shot from Belaïli (36th) before the Ajaccien was fouled in the penalty area by the unfortunate Delaine.
It was even better for Olivier Pantaloni’s men, who had a two-goal lead when Riad Nouri took over from close range after Belaïli had bamboozled Djiku before netting a precise cross (45+3′).
Belaïli would have scored a remarkable hat-trick from the penalty spot if he had succeeded in registering his third kick in an incredible 90 minutes following a foul by Maxime Le Marchand on Hamouma, but the former Brestois did not hit the target this time ( 63rd).
Clement Vidal’s (79th) red card for a foul on Lebo Mothiba meant the game ended negative for the hosts, but Ajaccio bagged three valuable points, their first at their Stade François Coty this season, as Strasbourg failed to has more than one victory. in 14 games this campaign.
THE PLAYER: Youcef Belaïli
Who else could he have been? He scored three times in 19 league appearances for Brest, but came close to scoring that in just over an hour on the pitch against Strasbourg. His approach work for his team’s fourth goal also showed his undoubted ability on the ball in open play. In this form, he will be a huge asset for Ajaccio.
THE STAT: 500
It was Ajaccio’s 500th Ligue 1 Uber Eats game. Their record is 134 wins, 133 draws, 233 losses.