Avoid falling to the bottom of… Puy

Yalaoui (à d.) et Alès devront cravacher pour contenir Beneddine et Le Puy.

National 2/17e journée. En mauvaise posture, l’OAC se déplace chez le dauphin du leader avec l’obligation de ne pas faire le voyage à vide.

Originally from Bellegard, spotted by Jacky Novi, trained at Nîmes Olympique before leaving for Monaco and attempting adventure in Belgium and Algeria then returning to France, to Châteauroux and Quevilly, Mehdi Beneddine has become, at almost 28 years old (he will have them on February 26), the captain and a centerpiece of the defense of Puy where the OAC is traveling this Friday.

This match of the 17th day was brought forward to allow the Ponots to best prepare for the reception of Rennes (L1), at the Geoffroy-Guichard stadium in Saint-Etienne, on Thursday 29, in the quarter-finals of the Coupe de France. A Cup that does not turn the head of the dauphin of Aubagne.

"Our priority is above all the championship, insists Mehdi Beneddine. There is no question of taking the Alès reception lightly even if, unconsciously, we will all have in mind this historic meeting for the club. The fear of getting injured or receiving a card depriving us of this event will be present, that's for sure. But once on the field, we will give everything to beat Alès, rest assured."

287 minutes without scoring

The Cévenols have been warned. In their situation, in any case, they cannot afford to approach the slightest meeting lightly, they who have only taken 6 points in the last ten days (6 draws, 4 defeats). A pace of potential relegation.

The OAC no longer knows how to win. His last victory in the Championship dates back to October 7 and a trip to Hyères (2-1, 6th day). Coach Hakim Malek, however, wants to believe it. "The wheel will have to turn in our favor at some point, he said last Saturday after the seventh draw conceded in front of Cannes (0-0). I don't have much to reproach my players for their performances, other than a chronic lack of efficiency." It has now been more than three matches (287 minutes) since the Gardois have not found the net…

Difficult to say reverse the trend when "the bars and posts get involved, the penalties obtained are not converted and offsides coming from nowhere deprive us of the victory&quot ;, railed the Alesian technician, who was convinced of it. "It can't last like this forever."

Facing Le Puy, for the Cévenols to demonstrate that they too have arguments to put forward to compete with the best. Were not two of their only three victories won in front of Aubagne (3-1) and Le Puy (2-1), the first two ?

Alès (11th, 16 pts) plays at Puy-en-Velay (2nd, 29 pts) this Friday at 7 p.m., Charles-Massot stadium. I subscribe to read more