This Saturday, En Avant Guingamp lost to Caen on the occasion of the 25th day of Ligue 2 (2-1). Despite a reaction in the second half, the Bretons still cannot continue after two games without defeat. Here are the tops and flops of this loss.
El Ouazzani — Guillaume, a different but winning duo
These are the two Guingampais of the moment, Amine El Ouazzani and Baptiste Guillaume allowed their team to reduce the score. In the 54th minute, after a double one-two between the two partners, the former Bourg-en-Bresse player armed a heavy recovery which ended its race in the skylight of Anthony Mandrea (1-2). A nice combination between two complementary players. El Ouazzani, who arrived in December, has already scored 4 goals in Ligue 2, Guillaume gave him his 4th assist of the season.
They are also two players with different characteristics and profiles. At 21, El Ouazzani is just discovering Ligue 2, but his technical quality already allows him to take the advantage over his opponents. While Baptiste Guillaume knows this championship as well as Ligue 1 in which he evolved in 4 different clubs. His physical power combined with the vivacity of his teammate allows the duo to make the difference, like the only goal scored by Guingamp this Friday evening.
The atmosphere at Roudourou
Certainly the enclosure was not full, but the spectators present had the merit of supporting En Avant. The Kop Rouge never stopped singing despite a more than complicated first half. A support rewarded in the second period by the goal of El Ouazzani, but which was not enough to snatch the draw. Be that as it may, Stéphane Dumont’s players will have to rely on this support to regain confidence and move forward at the end of the season.
The cruel lack of efficiency of En Avant Guingamp
Despite a weak reaction during the first 45 minutes, the second half of En Avant had nothing to do with the first act. The game was more fluid and the opportunities were linked. A decisive Anthony Mandrea and a lack of precision are the causes of this defeat. Caen only hit once on goal in the second half, while the Guingampais shot 6 times and 12 times throughout the game. On the bench at kick-off and scorer against Bastia, Gaëtan Courtet failed to find the net. Even if his entry offered some opportunities in particular to Amine El Ouazzani who missed out on the finish. Like all his team.
Guingamp did not play before the first goal
It’s almost usual with En Avant, we had to wait for the Caen opener for the Bretons to start playing. The first situations were to the credit of Malherbe led by a former Guingamp in the person of Alexandre Mendy, who had scored a goal in the first leg. But it was not the attacker who was involved in the first goal. On a quick transition, the Caennais Godson Kyeremeh seized the ball before crossing it for the former Brestois Yoann Court.
The striker deceived Enzo Basilio in front of a lax defense (0-1, 19th). The second goal came after a completely missed strike from Alexandre Mendy, the ball landed at Kyeremeh’s feet on the edge of offside. The Frenchman, alone at the penalty spot, doubled the mark (0-2, 34th).
The Roudourou is no longer a fortress
Despite the beautiful atmosphere, the Roudoudou is no longer the fortress of yesteryear. The EAG is 19th at home in Ligue 2, far from the standards of the Costa Rican club. In the last 5 games, Guingamp has won only once at home (it was against Valenciennes) and over the period the Breton club conceded 11 goals for 7 goals scored. A lack of efficiency at home which leaves the Breton club in the soft underbelly of the championship with 8 points ahead of the first relegation (11th, 31 points). During the next day, the Guingampais will move on the lawn of Paris FC (10th with 31 points).
