Football: Beaucaire wants to be up to the task against Istres, the leader

Pour Naïm Ighbane et les Beaucairois, voilà un bon match à jouer contre Istres. – ERIC DOLADILLE

Ce samedi 24 février, à 18 heures au stade Philibert-Schneider, Beaucaire (6e, 21 points) reçoit le leader Istres (1er, 32 points) dans le cadre de la 17e journée de National 3. L'occasion pour le Stade de frapper un grand coup.

On the Stade Beaucairois side, by planning at the start of the year on the calendar and at the end of February 2024, with the reception of Istres, we were hoping for a shock. If Istres, leader, has since held its position, the ambitions of the Gardois have dissipated at the same rate as the points left in the draws (9).

Carletta, coach: ''Like a Coupe de France match''

''There is no more secret hope, it’s a match that must be taken like a match of Coupe de France, launches coach Sofyan Carletta before receiving an opponent eleven points ahead in the standings. We will have to play a match with the desire to surpass ourselves. Otherwise, we won't make it.''
This season, only Agde (4-0 in Hérault) and OM II (3-1 in Istres) have managed to overthrow a leader who joined this winter , defender and former pro at MHSC Mapou Yanga Mbiwa. Heavy stuff, therefore, in perspective for a Stadium which will have nothing to lose. ''We have no pressure to put on ourselves, points out the coach. It’s the leader, the strongest team. You will need to perform an achievement to beat them.''

Lack of consistency over the duration of a meeting

In front of his Schneider audience, Beaucaire is undoubtedly capable of doing it. Even if, like a sluggish season, no reference match comes to Carletta's mind when the subject is mentioned: '&#39 ;We had some good parts of matches, like our second period at Istres (1-1) in the first leg, but not for the entirety. We have difficulty finishing and the penultimate pass.'' Always more complicated, in fact, to score goals…
 

I subscribe to read more