A frustrating draw but a precious point!

Les Verts were in need of points and were keen to get a good result against the Hauts-Savoyards, who came up against them today. Boosted by the presence of a number of professional players, including Yunis Abdelhamid, Anthony Briançon, Brice Maubleu and Igor Miladinovic, ASSE's reserve team started brightly. On the quarter-hour mark, Nadir El Jamali came close to opening the scoring with a two-touch finish, but the ball went just wide. Ten minutes later, Maedine Makhloufi forced a save from the Haut-Savoyard keeper.

After the break, the players came back with the same intentions and Les Verts' winter recruit Maxime Bernauer replaced Anthony Briançon for his first minutes in a Les Verts shirt. Razik Nedder's side were rewarded just before the hour mark when Nadir El Jamali turned in Igor Miladinovic's cross at the far post (ASSE 1-0 Thonon Évian Grand Genève FC, 58'). Kenzo Kies and Yunis Abdelhamid then went close to scoring a second, but missed the target. At the very end of the game, ASSE conceded a cruel equaliser from a corner (ASSE 1-1 Thonon Évian Grand Genève FC, 93rd). A share of the spoils at L'Etrat ahead of next Saturday's derby on home soil against OL.

The coach's reaction

‘We're frustrated because we played a better game than our opponents, who decided not to play. Despite that, we have to put in the second, we have to finish because with that second goal, we would have been safe. At 1-0, you become vulnerable. Your opponents don't score the goal of the game and you get equalised just like that... It's a real shame because we played a really good game, with a lot of intensity. In terms of content, we were good but we weren't paid today. I thought the pros were very serious and very professional. I think the youngsters around us are growing up. The content of our games is reassuring, the boys are making progress,’ said Razik Nedder after the match.

The game sheet

Matchday 16 - National 3 (pool I)
ASSE 1-1 Grand Genève FC
HT: 0-0
Goals: El Jamali for ASSE (58th) and Martelat (93rd) for Grand Genève FC
ASSE: Maubleu - Pedro, Briançon (then Bernauer, 46th), Abdelhamid (cap), Makhloufi - Gadegbeku, Gauthier, Fall, Miladinovic (then Lamine Ndiaye, 90th) - El Jamali (then Cateland, 83rd), N'Guessan (then Saban, 46th, then Kies, 78th). Coach: Razik Nedder