On the seventh day of D1, Montpellier won 2-1 on the field of Paris FC, a victory while it was the Parisian players who opened the scoring in the first period. Two goals scored in two minutes on two free kicks and a match that escapes the Ile-de-France team after bowing to the smallest margin against Paris Saint-Germain during the previous day of the championship.


For this return of the D1, Paris FC played for the first time in the capital, with the reception of Montpellier Charlety stadium. Long used by the Paris Saint-Germain, the enclosure is the grass of Paris FC, regularly used by the men's team of the club. Pierre Ferracci, president of Paris FC had announced at the time of the merger between Juvisy and the Paris club that some matches would be played at the Charlety stadium, so it was a first for this poster against the Héraultaises.


On the side of Paris FC, the team had three absentees of importance, in addition to Charlotte Bilbault and Aïssatou Tounkara, Théa Greboval who was forfeited for this match. Nevertheless, Pascal Gouzenes was able to count on the return of another side, Julie Soyer, tenured left side for this meeting.


Montpellier wanted to play in the Paris camp


At the beginning of the match, we could observe a Montpellier team with a will to play in the Paris camp, settle there and try to press very high the players of Paris FC. This pressing makes difficult the first raises, and we observe on both sides of the feverishness when the ball passes by the back, with a fear of pressing the opponent and therefore a will to "let go" quickly the ball.

Despite the pressure from Montpellier, Paris FC is the first team to highlight. A long balloon to the surface Hérault, and Marina Makanza wins his duel with Sakina Karchaoui but his volley lacks power to worry Méline Gérard vigilante on his line (9th).

If the start of the game seems quite locked, with two teams in place tactically, we can note some situations for Montpellier in the first twenty minutes to the image of this head of Linda Sembrant on corner (14th) who misses the frame , or a shot by Stina Blackstenius (19th) diverted for a corner by Karima Benameur. But most often, Montpellier struggles to project herself into numbers in the opposing area with Stina Blackstenius often alone to take over the centers of her teammates.


Paris hits against


On the side of Paris FC, it is a cons that will come the opening of the score in the 20th minute, an action where the first movement does not lead to a goal opportunity, but in a second time, the ball reaches the Anissa Lahmari right side, whose center finds the head of Gaëtane Thiney who sends the ball into the net.

A goal on a counter-attack, a success that had missed against Paris Saint-Germain and allows the teammates of Gaëtane Thiney to take the lead in this match. The rest of the first period sees the Parisian attempt several times to score on these sequences of play, including Camille Catala well launched in the depth but sees Meline Gerard intervene before her at the edge of the surface Herault (23rd).

Montpellier, for its part, is struggling to find solutions, with a Blackstenius-Jakobsson duo often isolated from the rest of the team at the time of the incursions in the last thirty meters. Under these conditions, Blackstenius is often well contained by the Parisian central defense including Estelle Cascarino who does not let go of the center forward Montpélliéraine. In the 44th minute, she made a decisive intervention in front of the Swedish striker, close to take a good center Clarisse Le Bihan left side.


The salvation on set kick


At the return of the locker room, we see the Montpellier players trying to accompany the offensive actions more regularly and bring numbers around the opponent's surface. It is often in these situations that the danger is pressing, even if, as in the first half, Paris FC seems to be in place.

A solidity that has been expressed in particular by the incessant work of the two midfielders, Inès Jaurena and Anissa Lahmari, and who have often managed to defuse Montpélliéraine actions and recover a large number of balloons. Conversely, Montpellier continued to show signs of fever in the rear on the first raises, difficulties that could have cost him another goal, early in the second period.

But after the hour of play, it is finally on set kick that Montpellier tilts the match. Two free-kicks, a few tens of seconds apart to give the advantage to the players of Jean-Louis Saez. The equalizer came in the 63rd minute, with a free kick left by Sakina Karchaoui. The Montpellier side finds the head of Stina Blackstenius at the entrance of the six meters mark of a crossed head.

An equalizer that puts Montpellier in the game, before another similar goal and this time will give the advantage to the Héraultaises. A new free-kick on the left, twenty-five meters from the goal and Parisian Sakina Karchaoui again in distribution. The ball is sent into the surface and the uncrossed head of Clarisse Le Bihan is lodged very close to the left corner of Karima Benameur. The Parisian goalkeeper who has hesitated to go out, finds herself caught mid-stream and can not come or play the ball in the fists or prevent him from crossing the goal line (64th).

Paris sounded, Montpellier can breathe


Two minutes to change the course of a match where Montpellier seemed still far from the account. After this hour, Paris FC will continue to play this match but will no longer surprise Montpellier. In the 67th minute, however, Sakina Karchaoui is close to giving Mathilde Bourdieu a goal ball with a shaky pass. But the Paris striker can not exploit the best balloon, embarrassed by the return of the Montpellier defense, and Sakina Karchaoui, which allows Meline Gerard to seize the ball.

Coming into play in the second half, Clara Matéo could have also had the opportunity to equalize, but she crosses her volley too on the center of Léa Declercq (70). No more success for Gaëtane Thiney, found in depth but whose cross shot is well captured by Meline Gerard (75). After this quarter of an hour when the game seemed to be racing, Paris FC could not find the ultimate resources to return in this game.

Montpellier finally managed with a victory that showed his ability to win without showing his best face. In the past, Juvisy had often tripped Montpellier, moving away from the race to the first places. This victory in pain is perhaps a good sign for Montpellier, after a start of the season where the Héraultaises alternated river scores and more complicated encounters in D1 but also in Europe.
The post-match reactions:

Mathilde Bourdieu (Paris FC): "We have given ourselves thoroughly and we have shown things on the ground"

Pascal Gouzenes (Paris FC, coach): "We are close to the truth"

Jean-Louis Saez (MHSC, coach): "It's important for the character of the team"



Match sheet


Saturday, October 28, 2017, 6:45 pm - Paris (Charlety Stadium) - D1 - 7th day.
Paris FC - Montpellier SC Herault: 0-0 (1-0)


Referee: Victoria Beyer

Goals: Gaëtane Thiney (20th) for Paris FC; Stina Blackstenius (63) and Clarisse Le Bihan (64) for Montpellier

Warnings: Marina Makanza (53) for Paris FC; Clarisse Le Bihan (59th) for Montpellier


The teams :


Paris FC: 16-K. Benameur - 27-J. Soyer, 22-E. Cascarino, 10-A. Butel, 5-E. From Almeida, 8-I. Jaurena, 14-A. Lahmari (13-A, Otaki 83), 17-G. Thiney (cap.), 7-M. Makanza (11-C Matéo 59e), 28-C. Catala (26th Declercq 68th), 21-M. Bourdieu.

Coach: Pascal Gouzenes


Montpellier Hérault SC: 30-M. Gerard, 4-M. Torrent, 5-L. Agard, 23-L. Sembrant (cap.), 7-S. Karchaoui, 6-A. Dekker, 14-V. Torrecilla, 11-K. Veje (17-Cayman 61e), 29-C. The Bihan, 10-S. Jakobsson (8-S. Toletti 77e), 15-S. Blackstenius (21-V Gauvin 86th).

Coach: Jean-Louis Saez