“There was a spirit of revolt”: Montpellier planted the seeds of a recovery by dominating Auxerre

Auteur d’un doublé, Akor Adams a permis au MHSC de renverser Auxerre et de se donner de l’air. Midi Libre – ALEXANDRE DIMOU

Winner of its first match, Sunday September 22 against Auxerre (3-2), Montpellier has perhaps launched a Ligue 1 season that has started very badly. Finally.

It may not be a revolution yet. But in a Mosson rinsed by rain and emotions, it was necessary to watch for reactions. From the frank embrace between Michel Der Zakarian and Laurent Nicollin, to the lap of honour of the MHSC players at the foot of a Butte applauding them, there was relief and happiness. Finally. Like the word of an evening that the success against Auxerre, the first of the season, has considerably lightened. While showing a way forward to a team until then entangled in poor performances and a heavy context.

“We needed this match to start our season. It is certain that this victory will really count", predicts Arnaud Nordin, evoking a "reference match". While waiting to find out, these three points did not sweep everything away, as if by miracle at the moment when the coach was wavering.

Nordin: "We didn't let go of the coach"

"We didn't let go of him, said Nordin. We are with him, we listen to him every time and we want to win, as he tells us. He is a coach who really likes to win, it is normal. He instills that. We have not been able to show it in the previous matches and today, we succeeded."

The Ligue 1 ranking

Der Zak's strong choices – Jordan Ferri sidelined, Benjamin Lecomte on the bench – did not stop the bleeding on their own. But the victory proved him right. As it confirmed the capacities, until then buried, of a team transformed in the second half, in its way of "moving forward", Birama Touré stressed. "There was a spirit of revolt. We must keep this desire, to go and hurt when we attack, everything we were able to put into this second half. We must keep it to repeat it over 90 minutes", he added.

Birama Touré sets the course

Like Akor Adams, who scored his first double since the end of October 2023, or the tireless Rabby Nzingoula, the 32-year-old midfielder was one of the reasons to believe in the future. Coming into play, the former Nantes or Auxerre player set the standard, keeping it simple but devilishly effective for his debut, with in particular a recovery that led to the third goal.

The number: 2

Téji Savanier delivered his second double assist in Ligue 1, after the one with Nîmes against Rennes on April 9, 2019. The MHSC captain has 40 “assists” in the elite since his debut on August 11, 2018 (174 matches). Only the former Parisian Angel Di Maria (41) has more among midfielders over the period.

A taste of the possibilities of an element that arrived at the beginning of September and logically short of rhythm. “Spending three months without doing anything is a very long time, he reminded us. But I have worked well these last two weeks. Little by little, I will get back into shape, I will feel better and better”.

If the carnage does not continue – 7 absentees against AJA, Issoufou injured during the match –, MHSC should also get back into shape as the players return. “Just having a real left-hander on the left, like Lucas (Mincarelli), did us good. Even Birama (Touré) coming on, it did us good, supports Nordin. When we get the injured back, it will do us a lot of good for the team." 

In the meantime, we will have to overcome the obstacles of Monaco and Reims, two very high-risk trips. Where Montpellier will have to at least persist in its new path.

Rabby Nzingoula suspended in Reims

Loaned to MHSC without a purchase option by Strasbourg, Rabby Nzingoula made his mark on Sunday. Against Auxerre (3-2), if he was sometimes messy, the young 18-year-old midfielder compensated with astonishing activity. And this, despite “a difficult week” due to “fatigue because before arriving here, I hadn't played much”, he confided. Nzingoula will soon be able to rest. The fault lies in the warning received against AJA. This third yellow card in the last three matches (Nantes, Lille, Auxerre) will earn him a suspension in Reims, Sunday October 6 (5 p.m.).

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