On 14 January, one of the matches of the 18th round of the French football championship took place. Met Metz (France) and Toulouse (France).
French Championship, 18th round
Metz (France) - Toulouse (France) - 0:1 (0:1)
Goals: V. Sierro (12) vs. Sierro (12)
Warnings: D. Jean Jacques (18), C. Sabaly (20), K. N'Doram (37), T. Dallinga (40).
In a thrilling encounter between Metz and Toulouse in Ligue 1, spectators at the Stade Saint-Simforien witnessed a tense battle between the two teams. The match ended 0-1 at half-time and the score remained unchanged in regulation time with Toulouse winning the game. At the start of the game, both teams showed their determination and skill on the pitch. In the 12th minute, Toulouse took the lead when V. Sierro converted a penalty to give his team an early lead. Metz, looking to equalise the game, went on the attack but in the 18th minute D. Jean Jacques received a yellow card. Despite Metz's attempts to regain control of the situation, they received further penalties: yellow cards were given to K. Sabali in the 20th minute, L. Boloni in the 32nd minute and K. N'Doram in the 37th minute. These disciplinary offences disrupted the Metz game, allowing Toulouse to maintain their advantage and control the midfield. Towards the end of the first half, Toulouse player T. Dallinga received a yellow card in the 40th minute, adding to the list of cautions in the match. The score at half-time was 0-1, with Toulouse holding the advantage. The second half started with Metz making two substitutions in a row.
In the 65th minute J. N'Guessan replaced B. Tetteh, and in the 66th minute J. Asoro replaced P. Diallo. These changes gave new energy to Metz's attacking play, but their hopes suffered a serious setback in the 72nd minute when K. Hérelle received a red card. To their credit, Toulouse managed to hold on to their lead and V. Camanzi received a yellow card in the 82nd minute as Toulouse struggled to maintain their advantage. In the 88th minute, Metz, desperate to equalise, made their third and final substitution: D. Jean Jacques was replaced by A. Atta. Attah. Despite all efforts, Metz failed to score and the match ended 0-1 in favour of Toulouse. The victory will surely bring a sense of relief and satisfaction to the Toulouse camp, while Metz will regret the missed opportunities and reflect on their disciplinary offences throughout the game. Overall, it was an exciting encounter in which both teams showed their determination and flair. Toulouse's early goal proved decisive and although Metz fought valiantly, they were unable to capitalise in the return encounter. As they progress in Ligue 1, both teams will look to learn from this match and use it as motivation to improve in upcoming matches.
In the next round, the following matches await the rivals: Nice vs Metz, Toulouse vs Lance.
| Metz | Toulouse | |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | Kicks to the goal | 2 |
| 14 | Kicks | 4 |
| 4 | Blocked shots | 0 |
| 8 | Penalty kicks | 3 |
| 6 | Kicks from outside the penalty box | 1 |
| 20 | Offences | 18 |
| 4 | Corner | 1 |
| 0 | Offsides | 0 |
| 38% | Ball possession | 62% |
| 3 | Yellow cards | 2 |
| 1 | Red cards | 0 |
| 1 | Keeper saves | 2 |
| 291 | Total assists | 513 |
| 227 | Accurate assists | 433 |
| 78% | Accuracy of passes | 84% |