Football: against Fréjus – Saint-Raphaël, victory or nothing for Alès

A scene of joy this season… a moment that is too rare for Ales players. FREE NOON – ERIC DOLADILLE

Alès (13th, 19 points) remains on artificial respiration at the dawn of this 23rd day of National 2 and the reception of Fréjus – Saint-Raphaël (7th, 30 points), Saturday April 20 at 6 p.m. at the Pierre-Pibarot stadium. Indeed, any result other than a victory could condemn the OAC to relegation to N3 for good.

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 the Alesian revival, 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 left to play), is to reconnect with a home victory. A victory at Pibarot who has been fleeing the OAC since September 23 (5th day) against Le Puy (2-1), just to reconcile with the Alesian public by honoring the jersey.

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 well-known technician from the Gardois: Michel Estevan, who knew how to give a soul to the Stade Beaucairois of the 90s. His The balance sheet is unequivocal: 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.''

Coach Hakim Malek in the stands

This evening, it is therefore the support that he will seek in Cévennes soil. The Alesians 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!'' It's also up to his players to repeat what they achieved on Var soil: to win, and thus achieve a fifth success.

I subscribe to read more