After dominating in the first period, the Gym was knocked out in its first game in the Coupe de France this season after conceding a poor goal at the start of the second half.

The Gym’s curse in the Coupe de France continues. Rarely getting the luck of the draw in recent years, the Aiglons were once again forced to travel to a side from the top-flight to get their 2018 campaign underway.

As he had announced since returning after the break, Lucien Favre had no intentions of throwing away this game, despite the crazy fixture list that awaits his side, who until this afternoon, were the only club in France along with PSG to still be involved in four competitions. Given the list of players missing including Balotelli (recovery) and Jallet (injured), it was a starting eleven that resembled the one that began the game at the Stadium in 2017, with the classic change of goalkeeper for the cup.

After struggling greatly against the Téfécé in the first half back at the end of November, the Aiglons didn’t face the same difficulties during the first half on Saturday afternoon. They dominated territorially, with the ball (64% of possession) and had two huge chances through Srarfi (6th minute save from Lafont) and Plea (9’, his touch was too loose in front of the Toulouse keeper). The home side had just one strike from Gardel which was pushed away smartly by Cardinale at the end of a confusing move and Dante blocked on two occasions (16’).

At the start of the second half, often a tricky period for the Gym this season, the game would turn on its head. After a harmless cross came in from the left, a handling error from Cardinale benefitted Somalia, who made no mistake and took advantage of the gift (1-0, 51’).

Trailing after a stroke of bad luck, the reaction of Lucien Favre’s side was timid. Souquet found Lafont after a good move (55’), Dante thought he had equalised before seeing that the assistant referee had raised his flag for offside (60’), but at the same time, the Violets’ threat was also more noticeable and Jean (57’) or Delort (70’) could have had the knockout ball at their feet. Lucien Favre sent on two young attacking players, Ignatius Ganago (back after a period out with injury) and Hicham Mahou, to try to get back into the game, but Dupraz’s side were able to hold on to their slim advantage.

As so often (too often) in recent seasons, the Gym leave the Coupe de France in the first game, but will be back in action on Tuesday evening, in the Coupe de la Ligue this time, when they face the neighbour from the Rock in what promises to be an exciting derby, with a place in the final four of the competition at stake.

A.D.

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