Metz - Montpellier - 0:1. French Championship, 16th round. Match review, statistics

On 17 December, one of the matches of the 16th round of the French football championship took place. Met Metz (France) and Montpellier (France).

French Championship, 16th round

Metz (France) - Montpellier (France) - 0:1 (0:1)
Goals: Maxime Esteve (9)

Warnings: P. Diallo (53), Julien (74), Benjamin Lecomte (85), M. Oudol (90+2).

Review of the match Metz - Montpellier:

In a tense Ligue 1 match, Metz met Montpellier at the Stade Saint-Simforien. Both teams played a decent game on the pitch, but it was Montpellier who won 1-0. The first half of the match was a hard fought battle between the two teams. Montpellier took the lead in the 9th minute, when M. Esteve hit the opponents' goal, putting his team ahead. Metz tried to get back into the game, but their efforts were foiled by Montpellier's resolute defence. The score at half-time was 0-1 in favour of Montpellier. At the start of the second half, Metz made two important substitutions in an attempt to change the dynamic of the match. In the 46th minute, L. Camara was replaced by K. N'Dorama, and A. Jallow gave way to I. Sane in the same minute. These substitutions brought fresh energy into Metz's game, but they failed to equalise. In the 53rd minute Metz received a yellow card for a foul by P. Diallo. This further increased the pressure on the home side, who were desperately looking for a breakthrough. On 55 minutes Metz made a third substitution: P. Diallo was replaced by J. Asoro. "Montpellier" made the first substitution in the 65th minute: M. Al Tamari was replaced by T. Coulibaly. These personnel changes were aimed at preserving the defence and keeping the advantage in the score.

In the 74th minute, Montpellier player C. Julien received a yellow card, which served as a warning for disciplined play. As time ran out, there was tension on the pitch. In the 85th minute Montpellier's B. Lecomte received a yellow card, which added drama to an already tense match. Metz soon made a fourth substitution when M. Colin replaced K. Sabaly in the 86th minute. In a flurry of activity, Montpellier also made three late substitutions in the 86th minute. J. Ferri came on in place of K. Fayad, A. Adams replaced K. Yeboah, and it was expected that the fresh legs would see the match through to the final whistle. In the final minutes of the game, Metz player M. Oudol received a yellow card, further adding to the hosts' frustration. When the final whistle blew, Montpellier were celebrating a hard-fought victory. An early goal and solid defence proved enough to win all three points. Despite Metz's valiant efforts, they were unable to score and were left disappointed with the defeat. This match demonstrated the competitive nature of Ligue 1 football, with both teams showing skill, determination and a strong desire to win. The fans at the Stade Saint-Simforien witnessed a thrilling and intense battle, making it a memorable match in the league.

In the next round the following matches await the rivals: PSG - Metz, Montpellier - Marseille.

Statistics of the match Metz - Montpellier: