Faced with one of the biggest teams in the championship on the second day of D1, Saturday, September 17, the blood and gold did not resist the offensive force of PSG, without capitulating.
The step was too high. But that was no surprise. Saturday September 17, the Rafettes suffered the law of the PSG players, who largely imposed themselves (4-0) on the lawn of Paul-Lignon. For a second day and a first at home, the duel was big for blood and gold.
Already a week ago, Laurie Cance and her teammates were defeated (2-0) at Paris FC, which had qualified for the Champions League by finishing third in the championship. And yesterday, it’s the team that will fight all season with Lyon for the title they received. Unsuccessful so far, in the standings and in front of goal, Rodez has especially checked the next day to dive into his championship.
Fight in defense
If the confrontation looked like an impossible mission on paper, the start of the match brought a wind of hope to the Ruthenian lawn. Mathieu Rufié’s players offered a strong start to the 1,200 spectators. It was even Chloé Bornes, who returned to the Piton this summer, who made the very first shot of the match in the 4th minute. The defender’s attempt, launched by Mylaine Tarrieu, went to the right of Lydia Williams’ goal. “I would have liked to mark it, to see what it would have been like afterwards. Even if I don’t think it would have changed the outcome of the match”, remarked the blood and gold coach. Just after, Bornes thwarted one of the first dangerous crosses of the Parisiennes with a header. But this was only the beginning of a long struggle.
After playing the ball for a good fifteen minutes, the Ruthénoises had to devote themselves to protecting the surroundings of Sieber’s goal. The Parisiennes of Gérard Prêcheur had just raised the physical level. The international Grace Geyoro quickly opened the counter (19th, 0-1). Crosses repelled by the Ruthenian block, shots over the goal, shots saved by Sieber… The offensives followed one another even before half-time was called.
The trend persisted upon returning from the locker room. Paris had the advantage in scoring and possession. And Karchaoui (51st) and Diani (58th) added their touch (0-3). Between two Parisian actions, Stievenart, Saunier or even Bogi made their way to the ball. But it was in the last ten minutes that Rodez regained his early game, PSG relaxing. Guellati in the 84th, then Bogi in the 89th, tried to shake the nets for Williams, who stopped both shots. And Geyoro came to deliver the coup de grace in additional time (90th + 2, 0-4).
An unsurprising defeat, which gives way to one of the biggest meetings of the start of the season for Rodez: the trip to Soyaux, Saturday September 24 (2:30 p.m.), with whom the blood and gold will play elbows, on the ground, but above all the struggle to maintain it.
The reactions
Mathieu Rufié, coach of Rodez
A good start, during which we hampered them, we were in place defensively. Then we have the first chance. It’s frustrating because compared to the burst of energy and some of the things we’ve seen in the game, I think 4-0 is harsh. What we wanted to do defensively, it was respected, but we have to progress in recovery. And maybe on the matches more within our reach, it will pay off.
Solène Champagnac, Rodez midfielder
We knew how to counter their offensives, afterwards we knew that it was going to be hard, physically, to last the whole match like that. But we managed to hold them and cause them problems. Afterwards, it’s PSG… We still fought with our weapons.
Gérard Prêcheur, coach of Paris SG
It was a good game. Rodez made a very good start, well organized and the players were very present in the duels. We took control of the game after the first quarter of an hour, we got chances. We had a small success factor at the start of the second period which allowed us to score the second goal. And then, we managed the match in relation to our next meeting, which already takes place on Wednesday in the Champions League (against Hedge). We have five matches in two weeks. It was really a fun match, especially to play in front of such a large crowd.
