Metz, penultimate, and Saint-Etienne, last, delivered a very good performance this Saturday, October 30, in a match counting for the 12e matchday in Ligue 1. But this meeting marked by two very nice goals and which ended in a draw (1-1), did not help the affairs of the two teams. ASSE remaining last, Metz passing barrage in front of Brest, which will play tomorrow against Monaco.
This result also does not do the business of the respective coaches, Frédéric Antonetti (Metz) and Claude Puel (ASSE), who remain weakened after a disappointing start to the year.
Khazri equalizes with a magnificent lob
From the start of the game, the Garnets imposed a lot of intensity and cornered the Greens in their surface. Logically, they were rewarded with a nice opening of the score: on a free kick at about 25 meters, Boulaya, the house specialist, sent the ball into the skylight of Etienne Green, who could only slow the ball ( 1-0, 9 ‘).
The Mosellans did not relax their grip, but it was when the Foréziens seemed the most in difficulty, that they equalized on a fantastic goal from Khazri: the Tunisian recovered the ball in his box, went up the field and , seeing the Lorraine goalkeeper Alexandre Oukidja advanced, he unleashed even before the central circle a surgical strike of more than 60 meters which hit the mark (1-1, 16 ‘).
68 – Wahbi Khazri scored from a distance of 68 meters against Metz, the longest goal scored in Ligue 1 since Opta collected the data (2006/07). Audacity. #FCMASS @ASSEofficiel @ Ligue1UberEats pic.twitter.com/sXDhlPSrYb
– OptaJean (@OptaJean) October 30, 2021
The Tunisian, who has scored 7 of ASSE’s 12 goals, is really essential this season and literally carries the red lantern on his shoulders, who has still not won in Ligue 1 and continues to advance in slow motion with only six units on the meter.
READ ALSO. VIDEO. AS Saint-Etienne: Wahbi Khazri’s incredible goal from his own camp!
This goal woke up the Stéphanois, who managed to get out of the Metz pressing and started to approach their goal. Thus, the best opportunity of the rest of the first period was in favor of Khazri, who defeated Kiki Kouyaté in the box before hitting, but Oukidja, managed to deflect the ball with his foot (38 ‘ ).
Green saves the Greens at the end of the match
After the break, the pace slackened a bit but the two teams nevertheless fought a good battle. Gradually, the Greens confiscated the ball but lacked precision in the last meters to be really dangerous.
“It was a game again with the opposite scenario where we concede the opener. Fortunately Wahbi (Khazri) got us back in the right direction very quickly with a superb goal. The Messins were confident and had more control at the time. Afterwards, we did simple things again, created offsets to bypass this block. Despite everything, we concede two or three chances, like this disagreement between the goalkeeper and a defender, but fortunately we do not take a cap goal … We had a good second half, we had gained the upper hand on the opponent and not much was missing to win this game. This is a point on the outside. That would be a good point under normal circumstances, but in our situation… We stayed in the spirit shown against Angers with a great debauchery of energy. The group has quality so we have to let go, gain confidence in our means, we have to insist that the players manage to free themselves ”, summarized Claude Puel, after the meeting.
Conversely, Green saved his team twice late in the game. The last opportunity was Forézienne but Oukidja was vigilant on a strike from Denis Bouanga (90 ’).
If the result does not suit anyone, both teams will at least have reassured themselves by showing encouraging quality of play and unwavering determination.
Datasheet
METZ – SAINT-ÉTIENNE: 1-1 (1-1)
Referee: Stéphanie Frappart
Ball possession: Metz: 39% – Saint-Etienne: 61%
GOALS. Metz: Boulaya (9 ’). Saint-Etienne: Khazri (16 ’)
WARNINGS. Saint-Etienne: Mason (19 ’), Sow (31’), Camara (88 ’)
METZ. Oukidja – Bronn (cap), Kouyate – Jemerson, N’Doram (Bassi, 76 ‘), Delaine, Maiga (Pajot, 40’) – Centonze, Boulaya, Niane (Nguette, 76 ‘), de Preville (Sarr, 60’ ).
Coach: Frédéric Antonetti.
SAINT ETIENNE. Green – Mason (Gabriel Silva 46), Sow, Kolodziejczak, Camara (cap) – Gourna-Douath, Neyou (Moueffek, 7 ‘), Youssouf, Boudebouz (Aouchiche, 89’) – Khazri (Bouanga, 89), Nordin (Hamouma , 67 ‘)
Coach: Claude Puel.