It was a Sunday night in November with big stakes for Paris FC and a strong choice for its coach, Stéphane Gilli. With the top 10 in the Ligue 1 standings in sight for the first time this season with a win, and the relegation zone looming closer if they lose, the coach of the capital’s second club has reshaped his squad for the trip to Lille.
Missing one of his key players, Maxime Lopez – who is being treated for a physical problem – the technician chose to play Vincent Marchetti in midfield. And it was from him that the first sensation came from this meeting starting on the 13th day of Ligue 1. Left free by the Lille defense, a full axis 30 m from the goal, the Corsican then launched a hard kick with his left foot, slightly deflected by Chancel Mbemba. First hitting Berke Özer’s left post, the ball eventually returned to the penalty area and allowed another new starter to shine.
Geubbels scored again
Willem Geubbels, also favored by Stéphane Gilli after several matches spent on the bench, followed well and only needed to put the ball into the net (11th). His first achievement since Paris FC’s victory in Brest (1-2) at the end of last August. Immortality for the striker, signed for 9 million euros this summer.
And if Lille show themselves to be increasingly dangerous as time goes on, the Parisians can afford to rely on their goalkeeper of the night, Kevin Trapp, another important choice from Stéphane Gilli. The former Paris Saint-Germain goalkeeper, who was preferred to Obed Nkambadio, was quickly called up. If he could do nothing to equalize Olivier Giroud (40), who also scored for the first time in three months, he allowed his team to stay level at the end of the first half.
We were playing in the 42nd minute when Félix Correia played a low cross towards his centre-forward, who took it in from the left from close range. Kevin Trapp then redirected the Blues’ top scorer’s shot with a superb reflex save using his chest. He saved his team again on his line early in the second half (60), with a header on target from Chancel Mbemba and after a mistake with his defender Moustapha Mbow, almost scored an own goal.
Four goals and two penalties conceded
If he could carry out this ideal scenario, he would have succeeded in saving Olivier Giroud’s penalty kick in the 77th minute. Trapped on his right foot, Kevin Trapp could only bow.
And while the Parisian team had just lost Pierre Lees-Melou, who was physically affected and called for changes, Aïssa Mandi (80) definitively dashed the last hopes of Ilan Kebbal and his teammates. Courageously, Lohann Doucet (84) scored his goal with a cross from the right into the opponent’s goal before seeing Lille score again from a penalty (90 + 6).
Lille, with 17 shots including 10 on target (compared to 6 shots including 3 on target for the Parisian side), was pretty easy to get this win, as they took control of the game, especially in the second half. In front of a home crowd, Bruno Genesio’s side climbed to fourth place in Ligue 1, behind top trio Paris Saint-Germain – Marseille – Lens. Paris FC slipped to 12th place with 14 points. Now they are only three small distances ahead of FC Metz, ranked 17th. Success against Auxerre, next Saturday at the Jean-Bouin stadium, seems important.
