An early strike from Toulouse earned the decider in a low scoring encounter at Stade Marcel Picot
The visitors now embark on a season with 2 wins and a draw in 3 matches, an appreciable start to the campaign. After the emphatic victory, Alain Casanova, manager of the last season’s 8th placed side, has seen his men climb to the 3rd spot, only
behind league leaders Valenciennes and Lyon on goal difference.
Nancy were out to cancel the 10th minute lead of the visitors through their attacking midfielder Sissoko, but their ambitions met an abrupt blow as Andre Luiz was dismissed in the 48th minute. The dismissal meant that the home side
was down to 10 men and an equaliser would be tantamount to a herculean task.
Toulouse however, was on target in their first meaningful attack. The attack was in fact on the break, when the home side lost possession of the ball. Sissoko was the pioneer of the break after seeing effective passing with Daniel Braaten eventually yielding
a goal for Sissoko.
Nancy did get a chance to equalise but Salif Sane’s header from a dangerous looking Thomas Mangani’s cross was effectively dealt by Ali Ahamada. The first half did not see much retaliation from the home side and it was only until the second half that the
match saw dramatic events unfolding.
The start of the second half was the worst nightmare for Nancy, as the home side lost the services of their midfielder inside five minutes, after the 37-year-old was involved in a wreckless challenge on Cheikh M’Bengue. The straight red card to the Brazilian
meant home side’s urge to get an equaliser being emphatically dashed.
Nancy’s shot stopper, Guy N’Dy Assembe however, was not budged by the disadvantage his side faced on losing on their experienced player in the midfield. The confident 26-year-old kept out Francois Sirieix’s free-kick and did not offer safe passage to Les
Pitchouns despite being a man down.
In the meantime, not only the goalkeeper but the attacking lineup too showed tracks that the home side will not let go easy sailing for the last campaign’s 8th seeded club. Jeff Louis’ header was an emphatic prove of the “we do not back down”
philosophy adopted by Nancy in the match.
And 73rd minute could well have seen a dramatic ending to the match had Ahamada been slightly careless on a Loosemy Karaboue drilling effort, but a stunning save from the under 21 France team’s player kept him a clean sheet.
But having seen home side losing on an important player, attacks from the opponents seemed inevitable. 64th minute classic display of Braaten as his slide past a bunch of defenders saw a low shot saved by Assembe. The goalkeeper was again made
to sweat two minutes later.
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