The match: 4-3
The Brest players have squeezed second place in Ligue 1 between their clutches, and their opponents will have to be very strong to snatch it from them. Only defeated once in the last seventeen Championship matches, in Lens (0-1, 25th day) on March 9, Eric Roy’s men are guaranteed to keep it at the end of this 28th day thanks to their success in Metz.
But their four-point advantage over Lille and Monaco, who will play later this Sunday against Rennes (5:05 p.m., to follow live commentary), almost melted at the end of the match, at the same time as their margin was reduced against Metz.
The Finisterians really shook, experiencing difficulties that were unimaginable at the end of the first hour of play, spent displaying all the qualities which had until then allowed them to breathe the air of the summit and make quite a few people dizzy. of adversaries. Aggressiveness in recovery and talent in construction allowed them to quickly erase the stain caused by Ismaël Traoré’s left foot from a corner (0-1, 6th).
Brendan Chardonnet quickly responded, also from a corner from Romain Del Castillo, taking over from close range following a missed header by Fali Candé (1-1, 12th). Stifled, dispossessed of the ball most of the time, Metz could have regained the advantage thanks to a huge individual action from Georges Mikautadze, whose shot was pushed back in front of the line (18th)!
But, once this lightning passed, the Brest tornado shook Messins again. Found by Pierre Lees-Melou on the right side, Del Castillo made a silky, subtle delivery, a real caress which Kamory Doumbia took advantage of to score from close range, from the left (2-1, 30th). Six minutes later, Kenny Lala found Martin Satriano in depth, whose cross benefited Steve Mounié, author of a decisive header after an adjustment of his position (3-1, 36th).
Logically in the lead at the break, the Brestois continued in crushing mode. On the hour mark, a new corner from Del Castillo, lobbing Matthieu Udol, allowed Satriano to widen the gap, thanks to a dive header (4-1, 60th). If Satriano could have quickly increased the score (66th), Pape Amadou Diallo could have reduced the gap without a decisive save from Marco Bizot (73rd). Exploiting a huge relaxation from Brest, Mikautadze concluded in the wake of a right-footed cross shot (4-2, 74th) before signing a double (4-3, 80th) which propelled the runners-up in the ranking, now under the threat of an incredible return, in an unexpected dimension.
But Lilian Brassier’s teammates held on until the end despite the opposing pressure inflicted by a transformed opponent. These big scares will remain of no consequence for the happy people of Brest who are thinking more and more strongly about the Champions League, while the Messins (17th) have much darker thoughts, despite their last stand.
The player: Del Castillo the dynamiter
Involved in the equalizer then author of two assists, including one from a corner, Romain Del Castillo distributed the light with his left foot. A great facilitator on the right side with his dribbles and crosses, but also his participation in combined play, he finished the match with flamboyant stats: 16 crosses, 7 last passes before a shot, 32 passes in the last third of the field. Match record, every time.
