RED STAR FC 93 - JEANNE D’ARC DRANCY : 2-0 (1-0)
Coupe de Paris (1/8 de finale)
Stade Bauer 16/02/2005
Attendance : 90 - referee: Dominique Godefroy assisted by Pascale Godefroy & Benoît Danno
Goals : Hamdani (40), Ghili (90 + 3)
Booked : Marques (74), Béhiche (87)
Subs : Hamdani by Chamma (64),Budoc by Béhiche (74), Tounkara by Ghili (78) - Geoffroy by Sissako (51), Longuet by NGomo (60), Aissa by Cara (75)
RED STAR : Mama (1), Ararouche (2), Dao (3), Yessad (4), Tounkara (5), Budoc (6), Baldé (7), Ba (8), Marques (9), Hamdani (10), Aklouche (11), Béhiche (12), Chamma (13), Ghili (14) Coach : Jean-Luc Girard
DRANCY : Vigin (1), Longuet (2), Soilihi (3), Adrovis (4), Fleury (5), NGomo (6), Iyok (7), Geoffroy (8), Tafani (9), Baby (10), Fellice (11), Sissako (12), Cara (13), Aissa (14)
Loïc Ghili, scorer of Red Stars' second
ARE WE CHELSEA IN DISGUISE ?
On a bitterly cold night, Red Star fielded what was virtually a reserve team, but still came out on top against a plucky Drancy side. The first half was mostly dominated by the home team, with Red Stars' defence rarely threatened by Drancy. However when the visitors' did threaten, Red Star did look somewhat fragile at the back, with perhaps the exception of Nabile Yessad. Salifou Essomba very nearly presented Drancy with a half chance as he hesitated following a bad mistake by the shaky Tounkara. Red Star procured a peach of a chance on the half hour, from virtually nothing. Ahmed Hamdani twisted and turned, fired in a cross that appeared to be heading into the keepers' arms, but no one had spotted Philippe Marques making a darting run into the box, and he got to the ball first only to see his effort skim narrowly wide of the goal.
The deliverance came at the right time, five minutes before the break as Drancy started to realise that Red Star could be beaten. Fine work by Budoc and Baldé led to a shot being only half saved by Vigin, the ball dropping to HAMDANI who fired home. (1-0)
After the break the spectators were treated to some real end to end stuff, at time at a frantic pace. Both defences were stretched as the attackers of both teams found time and space to exploit. Marques tired and faded from the game, but Baldé came into his own, and deserved a goal only to see his fine shot saved by the keeper, by now having a great game. As the clock ticked down, Drancy took more and more risk, and had Vigin to thank for not going further behind. The last thing the freezing spectators wanted was extra time, and in the ninetieth minute, it appeared that their worst fears might just coem true as Drancy were awarded a free-kick in a plum position. Up came the goalie to add to the strike force, but somehow the free kick was cleared downfield, where Aklouche, Chamma and GHILI combined to give the latter his first goal for Red Star, drivign the ball into the empty net from twenty five yards out. (2-0)
Enjoyable stuff on a freezing cold evening, the spectators who braved the elements (including virtually the full Red Star first XI) were treated to some entertainment, plenty of attacking football, a credit to both sides. Among Red Stars' youngsters, Tounkara and Ba struggled a little at first, but really came to the fore in the second half, as their confidence grew. Aklouche and Chamma are already proven players, with great potential. Special mention for Phil Marques, who as usual gave 100%, agile, always available and fully into the game. Full marks too, to captain-for-the-day Nabile Yessad who led his young charges with style and confidence. Bravo Red Star !
© AllezRedStar.com 2005