Usam – Fenix : Nîmes faces Toulouse, last train for Europe for the Gardois
Usam must dominate Toulouse, another contender, at home this Sunday, December 11. Otherwise…
For him, this match will look like “revenge”to assure Ahmad Hesham, the 22-year-old back of Usam Nîmes. Because it was against Toulouse, on October 23, 2021 at Parnassus (Nîmes 26-25 defeat), that the Egyptian international had been stopped in mid-flight, knee in the glove box, loose cruciate ligaments and white season to come .
This Sunday, December 11 at 5 p.m., at Parnasse in Nîmes, in a derby that always promises and rarely disappoints, no need to look far for motivation for Hesham. Usam (7th, 14 pts), too, will be keen to dismiss neighboring Toulouse at the same time as pushing him a little further in the standings, even if Fenix (10th, 13 pts) has a match. late to play in Istres.
Nîmes has already lost five games out of twelve…
“Even if Toulouse win their match late, a victory against them we can stay ahead and in contact with Chambéry”, recalls Yann Balmossière, the deputy of Ljubomir Vranjes. This fourth place currently occupied by the Savoyards is synonymous with european qualificationnext season.
Beaten this season by the top five in the standings – in Montpellier, against Nantes, Paris, Chambéry and Aix in the Gard –, the Nîmes can almost consider themselves lucky to still be in the race for the top 4. But like them, Chambéry, Aix, Cesson and Limoges have already lost five times. “Everyone is focused on the square but, in terms of points, we have never been to the “west”emphasizes Balmossière. What you have to look at is this. There, we will only play teams that are in the fight with us.”
Hesham wants to make up for lost time
However, the Gardois focus above all on themselves. For this, they could certainly count on an Ahmed Hesham, 4.75 goals per game on average, who is hungry for the ball and game after this si long break. “I never miss handball for nine months like thisindicates Egyptian. It’s the first time I’ve been arrested for so long. I’m motivated”. It’s time for him and the Usamists.
Usam – Fenix : a thrilling derby
Even if, last May, Usam went to air-condition the André-Brouat sports palace in Toulouse by pushing Fenix to 9 goals (26-35), these Occitanie derbies between Nîmes and Toulousains are generally quite suspended . The five previous oppositions had in fact ended in… two draws, two wins by one goal for Fenix and another, by the same gap, for Usam. “Toulouse is a great team, which beat Paris (35-27)”recalls Balmossière. the band : Baznik, Demaille (left). Poyet, Vincent, Gallego, Rebichon, Konradsson, Dupuy, Hesham, Gibernon, M. Salou, Tobie, Acquevillo, Joblon, Minel, Sanad.