It falters but it still holds. At the end of an eventful match, Brest ended up winning (4-3) against Metz on Sunday April 7, and thus consolidated its second place in the Ligue 1 standings.
With 53 points accumulated after 28 days of the championship (out of 34), Brest relegated Monaco (4th with 49 points), which hosts Rennes at the end of the afternoon, four lengths behind and is therefore sure to stay another week, at least, the runner-up of Paris Saint-Germain. Lille, who beat Marseille (3-1) on Friday, provisionally occupies 3rd place, also with 49 points. For the Breton club, the dream of competing in the Champions League next season is still possible.
FC Metz remains 17th and penultimate in L1 with 23 points, 5 units behind remaining in the first division with six days remaining. Morale affected after the disaster at home (2-5) against Monaco last week, the Lorraines showed some encouraging signs but too sporadic to take the point of the draw, which would have been very valuable.
A game that makes you dizzy
From the 6th minute, Ismaël Traoré, benefiting from the generosity of Kenny Lala in marking, opened the scoring for Metz by taking a corner near the penalty spot (0-1). But very quickly, the Brestois reacted with Brendan Chardonnet (12th, 1-1).
The Bretons then took the advantage thanks to Kamory Doumbia (30th, 2-1). Then, in the 38th minute of play, after a new sequence of play as endless as it was elegant, Martin Satriano’s back cross found the head of Steve Mounié (3-1).
With his game full of passes, movements and reversals of play, which made more than one opponent dizzy this season, Brest seemed to be in for a walk in the park. At half-time the Ty Zef led 3-1, posting seventeen shots, including eight on target, unheard of for them, at the break in an elite match in the 21st century, according to Opta.
The ovation from the Francis Le-Blé stadium at the break was well deserved given the spectacle offered. Eric Roy’s men hit the nail on the head on the hour mark, with an uncrossed header from Satriano from a corner (4-1, 60th).
Dominant, the Brestois then let their guard down, which benefited the Georgian from Metz Georges Mikautadze, who scored twice in six minutes (4-2, 74th and 4-3, 80th). The guilty laxity of the Breton defense, which was the best in Ligue 1 in 2024, with 5 goals conceded before this meeting, is a good reminder that the Bretons’ European dream is hanging by a thread.
Stade Brestois will now travel to Lyon, host Monaco and play, in Rennes, a Breton derby which promises to be important. Eric Roy and his players will then end the championship with matches, a priori more affordable, against Nantes, Reims and Toulouse.
