The Stade Brestois secured their first victory of the 2024–25 Ligue 1 season by defeating Le Havre 2–1 away at the Stade Océane. A decisive brace from forward Kamory Doumbia powered the breakthrough win, lifting Brest off the early-season winless mark following two opening draws. Le Havre suffered a costly home setback in front of their supporters.
Doumbia Strike Points Brest to Maiden Win
Early Penalty Sets the Tone at Stade Océane
Operating as the team’s focal point in attack, Doumbia opened the scoring in the 11th minute by converting a penalty kick earned by teammate Ludovic Ajorque. The strike marked Doumbia’s third goal in as many league matches, establishing the midfielder at the top end of the early-season goalscoring charts. Despite spells of sustained pressure from the hosts, Brest managed the remainder of the first half efficiently, conceding little beyond a handful of aerial threats.
Mwanga Red Card Leaves Hosts Shorthanded
The first period ended with high drama when Le Havre defender Junior Mwanga received a direct red card. According to match reports, Mwanga was dismissed for a cynical shirt-pull on Mama Baldé as the Brest forward looked to break clear toward goal on a promising counter-attack. The dismissal left Le Havre down to 10 men for the entirety of the second half.
Counter-Attack Clinches Doumbia’s Second
Brest capitalized on their numerical advantage almost immediately after the interval. In the 50th minute, a sharp counter-attack initiated by Ajorque and smoothly relayed by Baldé allowed Doumbia to slot home his second goal of the match, doubling the visitors’ advantage to 2–0. The comfortable cushion appeared to put the match out of reach, but the closing stages tested Brest’s resolve.
Late Penalty and Exhausted Subs Test Resolve
Le Havre clawed their way back into the contest in the 79th minute when Luck Zogbé conceded a penalty. Rayane Fofana stepped up and converted from the spot to narrow the deficit to 2–1, setting up a tense finish on the Normandy coast. Brest were forced to close out the match with 10 players on the pitch themselves—not due to a disciplinary red card, but because manager Julien Lachuer had exhausted all available substitutions when Noah Edjouma was forced off injured, leaving the side unable to replace him.
Paris Saint-Germain Loom on Sunday Horizon
The final whistle confirmed a hard-fought three points for Brest, echoing the crucial 2–0 away victory over Le Havre last March that laid the foundation for the club’s survival in the French top flight. With their maiden win of the new campaign secured under challenging circumstances, Brest turn their focus toward a daunting fixture next weekend, hosting reigning champions Paris Saint-Germain on Sunday.
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