Montpellier 1-0 ASSE: the green youth gave it all

On Wednesday, a penalty scored by Giovanni Sio enabled Montpellier to win (1-0) the friendly game between MHSC and ASSE, in Grau-du-Roy. For this game, Oscar Garcia decided to play some young players in order to have a better idea of them. For this reason, he decided to leave Stéphane Ruffier, Kévin Théophile-Catherine, Loïc Perrin, Romain Hamouma, and Robert Beric home. After a good ASSE start, Montpellier came out and managed to score on a penalty at the beggining of the second half. It is the second loss during the pre-season preparation for Les Verts.
 

ðŸÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂ’¬ @oscargarciaj débriefe #MHSCASSE (1-0) ⤵ï¸Â https://t.co/5G2DSfNsWn

— AS Saint-Etienne (@ASSEofficiel) July 26, 2017

«It was a good training game and a great opportunity to watch the young players who could help during the season » said the catalan coach after the game. Six young players from the Academy started or played some minutes of the game : Rayan Souci, Mickaël Nadé, Lamine Ghezali, Kenny Rocha Santos, Dylan Chambost and Mahdi Camara.

Oscar Garcia also took the opportunity to experience a new tactic, in 3-4-3. That is the reason why the result doesn’t reflect the reality and the work done since the beginning of the preparation.
 

8	The total amount of players who come from the Academy and participated to the game against Montpellier in Grau-du-Roi.

 

👊👊👊 Pas simple de passer la muraille @l00ping. @Pedro23Mendes et Paul #Lasne ne diront pas le contraire ! #TripleParade ðŸÂÂÂÂÂÂÂ’ª #ASSE pic.twitter.com/hePaulQYjv

— AS Saint-Etienne (@ASSEofficiel) July 27, 2017

Even if Jonathan Bamba could have scored on a strong shot so as Bryan Dabo, the first half was also marked by the triple Jessy Moulin save in less than ten seconds. The Vert goalkeeper showed his great abilities during the whole game. Only Sio managed to score a goal on a harsh penalty whistled by the referee (Montpellier 1-0 ASSE, 56). Oscar Garcia made some substitutions : KMP, Vincent Pajot, Alexander Söderlund and Cheikh M'Bengue entered the pitch but did not managed to change the result.
 
Next Saturday, in Chambéry, les Stéphanois will play their last friendly game before the game against OGC Nice, on the 5^th of August, in Geoffroy-Guichard. «And the most important game is the one against Nice», said Oscar Garcia.
 
In Grau du Roi, Michel Mézy stadium
Montpellier 1-0 ASSE
Half-time: 0-0
Attendance: 2000
Goal: Sio (56 pen) for Montpellier
Yellow cards: Souici (34), Lacroix (90) for ASSE
Referee : M. Dos Santos

Montpellier: Lecomte – Mukiele (then Cesco, 78), Congré (then Pokorny, 72), Mendes (then Cozza 62) - Roussillon (then Vidal, 78) - Lasne (puis Sessegnon, 72), Skhiri (cap) (then Passi, 78), MBenza (then Ninga, 68), Ikoné (then Dolly, 78)– Sio (then Camara, 62) ; Bérigaud (then Porsan Clemente, 78). Coach : Michel Der Zakarian.

ASSE: Moulin (cap) – Janko, Souici, Lacroix, Nadé, Ghezali (then Camara, 85) – Dabo (then Chambost, 78), Rocha Santos (then Pajot, 73) - Tannane (then MBengue, 66), Bamba (then Soderlund, 66), Diony (then Monnet-Paquet, 54). Coach : Oscar Garcia.