On 17 September, one of the matches of the 5th round of the French Football Championship took place. Clermont (France) and Nantes (France) met.
French Championship, 5th round
Clermont (France) - Nantes (France) - 0:1 (0:0)
Goals: Simon (49)
Warnings: Mollet (74), Maximiliano Cofriz (82), H. Keita (88), Erai Comert (90+4).
In a tense football match played at the Stade Gabriel Montpide, Ligue 1 teams Clermont Foot and Nantes battled it out for the win. At half-time, both teams showed solid defensive play and the score remained tied 0-0, which added to the tension in the second half. At the start of the second half, in the 49th minute, it was Nantes who made the first significant move of the match. Mathias Simon scored a magnificent goal, turning the tide and giving Nantes a much-needed lead. This goal shook up the atmosphere and both teams became more determined to either equalise or increase their lead. Throughout the match, both teams made crucial substitutions to strengthen their play. In the 36th minute, Nantes brought on Ignatius Ganago in place of Mostafa Mohamed, hoping to bring fresh energy and new strategies to the attack. In the 62nd minute, Clermont Foot followed suit, replacing Gaetan Kieyi with Steve Nicholson, Julien Gastien with Johan Magnin, and Mehdi Zeffan with Jodel Allevin. As the match progressed, the tension in the game grew, leading to several yellow cards for offences. Nantes' Florent Mollet received a yellow card in the 74th minute and Clermont Foot's Maxime Cofriz in the 82nd minute. The game became increasingly physical, with both teams fiercely fighting for any opportunity to gain an advantage. In the 79th minute, Nantes made a third substitution, replacing Mollet with Marcus Coco.
Clermont Foot responded in the 70th minute by bringing on Marvin Gonalon in place of Harisson Keita, hoping to strengthen their midfield and turn the game in their favour. With a one goal advantage, both teams realised that any mistake or missed opportunity could cost them the win. In the 80th minute, Nantes made their last substitution, with Quentin Merlin replacing Nicolas Pallois. The strategy was clear - strengthen the defence and maintain a slight advantage until the final whistle. However, Clermont Foot continued to fight until the last minute, hoping for a chance to equalise. Both teams received yellow cards in the final minutes of the match. Clermont Foot's Harisson Keita was cautioned in the 88th minute and Nantes' Erai Comert in the 90th minute. The match reached a dramatic climax in the 90th minute when Clermont Foot were awarded a penalty. Unfortunately for the home side, Mohammed Cham's shot went wide of the target, denying them any chance of salvaging a point. Despite their best efforts, Clermont Foot were unable to get a shot on goal and the match ended 0-1 in favour of Nantes. The hard-fought win saw Nantes move up the standings, while Clermont Foot were left disappointed but determined to bounce back in the next match. A thrilling encounter between Clermont Foot and Nantes showed the competitive spirit and skill of both teams. It was a match filled with tension, drama and missed opportunities, ultimately emphasising that in football there is a fine line between winning and losing.
The following matches await the opponents in the next round: Le Havre vs Clermont, Nantes vs Lorient.
| Clermont | Nantes | |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | Kicks to the goal | 5 |
| 16 | Kicks | 8 |
| 5 | Blocked shots | 1 |
| 11 | Penalty kicks | 4 |
| 5 | Kicks from outside the penalty box | 4 |
| 16 | Offences | 16 |
| 6 | Corner | 3 |
| 3 | Offsides | 0 |
| 51% | Possession of the ball | 49% |
| 2 | Yellow cards | 2 |
| 0 | Red cards | 0 |
| 4 | Keeper saves | 3 |
| 394 | Total assists | 374 |
| 304 | Accurate assists | 281 |
| 77% | Accuracy of passes | 75% |