Football: defeated by Toulouse, Pau still in the run-in

A slowdown

As a symbol of their overall dominance over the game, the Ligue 1 players get the first chance. Launched deep on his left side, the Japanese Onaiwu unleashes his shot but Ndiaye pushes back for a corner (2^e). George launched in depth by Sylvestre, lack of lucidity in the last gesture to worry Haug, the purple doorman (4th).

The Toulousains take control of the ball, and try to throw their two attackers Onaiwu and Dallinga behind the Pau defense. The Palois react, well helped by their trio of attacking midfielders Gomis-Sylvestre-Saivet, rather friendly with the ball. Tholot’s men are approaching the Toulouse area but without creating any real chances. You have to wait for the 31^e to see Sylvestre project himself on the counter-attack in a 3 against 2. He passes to Gomis who fixes the defense and rolls up a shot with the right foot, the Toulouse goalkeeper Haug deploys full length and pushes back for a corner.

Stung by this opportunity, the TFC accelerates against Pau who are slowing down. Purple backgrounds always play depth. Launched in the back of Abzi, in difficulty in the placement, Begraoui scores but is signaled in an offside position (34^e).

Just before the long-awaited break by the Béarnais, Van den Boomen once again launches the inevitable Begraoui into the back of the defense. The Toulouse winger only has to center back for Ratao, alone at the penalty spot, who finds the Pau nets without worries (1-0, 42nd).

Lack of juice and inaccuracies

The second period begins with a large squad review. Quang Hai, among the newcomers, is served at the entrance to the surface by George. The Vietnamese star fires a shot from the outside of the left foot off target. The rhythm of this second act is even slower than that of the first period. Despite the entry of six new players, the Pau seem particularly blunt. Opposite, Philippe Montanier launched the Pitchouns into the deep end. In the Pau area, one of them, Chaibi, deflects a low cross from Dejaegere but Olliero remains vigilant.

The Palois remobilized after the slack, George and Jean-Lambert infiltrated the surface of Dupé but lacked precision in their strike. Bassouamina, repositioned at the forefront, is always restless but far too alone in his offensives. Hai, returned playmaker, fades little by little. At the end of the match, the Haut Garonnais will logically double the bet thanks to a strike from Nino (86^e), deflected by Ruiz in his own goal. After their big inaugural victory on Friday against a Landes selection (5-0), the band in Tholot knows the way it has to go to be ready for the start of the championship, July 30 at Guingamp.

Didier Tholot (coach Pau FC): “An interesting copy”

It was consistent, it was good in the game. We still lack that offensive lucidity. We had as much or more of a situation in front of goal than them. There is fatigue, we have worked a lot. All in all it was an interesting copy.
I am satisfied with the way things are going, with the state of mind of our team. Now, it’s still friendly matches against a Ligue 1 team. I think the score is severe but we will find this offensive lucidity over the course of the preparation. We will go down in intensity, we will have more juice.

Technical sheet

Pau FC 0
Have played: N’Diaye (Olliero, 45^e† Coffee (Ross, 45^e), Kouassi (Building, 65^e), Batisse (cap) (Ruiz, 45^e), Abzi (Jean-Lambert, 45^e); Beusnard (Sow, 45^e), D’Almeida (Sylvester, 65^e); Saivet (Bassouamina, 37^e) (Coffee,^e), Sylvestre (Quang Hai, 45^e), Gomis (Meliande, 65^e) ; George (Bassouamina, 65^e).
Coach: Didier Tholot
TOULOUSE FC 2
Have played: First half: (16) Haug; (19) Diakité, (24) Rouault, (2) Nicolaisen, (12) Sylla; (8) Van den Boomen (cap) (Sidibé, 45^e), (17) Spierings ; Ratao, (11) Begraoui ; (27) Dallinga, (7) Onaiwu.
Second half: (30) Duped; Messalli, Agora, Diarra, Rapnouil; Sidibe, Mvoue, Dejaegere; Nino, Chaibi, Touzghar.
Coach: Philippe Montanier
In Tarbes (Maurice-Trélut Stadium) Toulouse beat Pau. Half time: 0-1
Spectators: around 1,000. Decent ground. Very sunny weather.
Referee: Azzedine Souifi.
Goals: Ratao (42^e) and Ruiz (86th, csc) for Toulouse.