Messin Georges Mikautadze (right) followed by Lensois David Pereira da Costa (left) and Jhoanner Chavez (center), during their match of the 29th day of Ligue 1 at the Saint-Symphorien stadium in Longeville-les-Metz ( Moselle), April 12, 2024. JEAN-CHRISTOPHE VERHAEGEN / AFP
Thanks to two fine goals from striker Georges Mikautadze, Metz moved away a little from the bottom of the rankings, Friday April 12, by dominating Lens (2-1), at the opening of the 29th day of Ligue 1. Les Messins , who remained on four home defeats, thus come back to the level of the current barrier Lorient (26 points). The Lensois remain in sixth place and see the prospect of playing in the Champions League for a second consecutive year fading away.
However, everything started badly for Metz. Despite a first attack where Danley Jean Jacques’ narrow-angle shot hit Lens goalkeeper Brice Samba, the Sang et Or quickly dominated the game. On a beautiful deep pass into the area from Jonathan Gradit, Wesley Saïd caught the ball before being hit by Metz goalkeeper Alexandre Oukidja. Indisputable penalty transformed by Florian Sotoca (1-0, 13th).
But the Messins managed to regain the flow of the match thanks to their Georgian striker, Georges Mikautadze. First, with a superb sequence of oriented control and strike from the left into the top corner (1-1, 34ᵉ), then with a flick from close range, which mystified Samba (2-1, 45ᵉ+3).
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Georges Mikautadze, man of the match
The eighth and ninth goals of the season from the 23-year-old striker completely put the Lorraines back in the saddle, who continued to rush into the attack after the restart, in his wake. The player on loan from Ajax Amsterdam even forced Samba to box a thirty-meter shot from the right (48th).
As if numbed by the opposing enthusiasm, and despite the changes made at the hour mark by coach Franck Haise, who brought in Elye Wahi in place of Saïd, the Lensois only proved dangerous in brief moments. Deliberate but messy, they missed opportunities, like Morgan Guilavogui’s counterattack which missed the target at the end of the match (88th). A risky exit out of its surface by Oukidja, who narrowly missed being lobbed, nevertheless caused a few cold sweats to break out in the Metz bays (62ᵉ).
The Lensois remain in four matches without success (one draw and three defeats) and their sixth place (43 points) is more than ever eyed by Reims (7th, 40 points), Marseille (8th, 39 points) and Rennes (9th, 39 points).
“We did anything”lamented Lensois Angelo Fulgini at the end of the match on Prime, very disappointed. “I have no rational explanationconfided Franck Haise for his part. I am primarily responsible. To win matches, you don’t just have to have a good twenty-five minutes. »
” It feels good “on the contrary confided the double scorer Mikautadze, who, for one evening, somewhat removed the specter of relegation.
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