Alès hopes to continue at home

A photo of joy… a rare moment this season in the Oacian ranks. E.D.

National 2/23rd day. Winner in Toulon, the OAC now wants to return to success in Pibarot.

We no longer believed it and yet it happened! After six months of drought in the championship, the OAC managed to secure its fourth victory of the season, last Saturday on the lawn of the Sporting Club de Toulon (1-0). A sign of Alesian renewal, Nîmes Rayanne Khemais was the architect of the victory at the very last minute. "Scoring the winning goal in my second match feels good, explains the defender, especially in the complicated situation at the club. I feel good in this group, we didn't give up in Toulon and we will continue."

The stated objective today, since it is difficult to believe in maintaining (Alès is 10 points behind Andrézieux, 9th, and there are four matches remaining), is to return to a home victory. A victory for Pibarot, who has been fleeing the OAC since September 23 (5th day) against Le Puy (2-1), also to reconcile with his audience.

Here comes Michel Estevan

This evening's meeting, however, does not feel like the end of the season because Étoile de Fréjus is not yet reassured about its future. Long stuck in the depths of the rankings, the Var club has raised the bar for two months with, at its head, a technician well known to the Gardois: Michel Estevan, who knew how to give a soul to the Stade Beaucairois of the 90s. His record is without doubt. equivocal: 7 matches, 4 wins, 3 draws, 15 points taken out of 21, 7 goals scored, none conceded. Compared to that of the Alésiens, there is no photo.

The Var coach does not stop at this flattering series, however. "Maintenance will only be certain if we reach eighth place, assures Michel Estevan. There are too many uncertainties regarding the ninth which will be played with the other three groups. We will take the points where we can take them, without calculation." This evening, it is therefore the maintenance that he will seek in Cévennes soil. The Alésiens have been warned.

Suspended eight matches for reacting virulently to xenophobic and personal insults in Toulon, Hakim Malek will attend the match in the stands. He has no regrets: "It’s unbearable. And if I had to do it again, I would do it again!"

It's up to his players too to do what they have succeeded on Var soil: winning, and thus achieving a fifth success.

Alès (13th, 19 pts) receives the Entente Fréjus/St-Raphaël (7th, 30 pts) this evening at 6 p.m., at the Pierre-Pibarot stadium.