Steenvoorde overthrows Le Portel at the finish, « like a Coupe de France match »

Steenvoorde could not have offered a better tribute to Mickaël Dufnerr, the club’s referee, who died this week. Led by two goals before the half hour mark, the Steenvoordois fought to the end to win at home.

Aboubacar Camara opened the scoring by speeding up the defense of the ASS (0-1, 10th). On a rough lawn, the two teams engaged in a balanced duel, but Le Portel made the break five minutes later: Dimitri Benkada wrapped his shot perfectly near the surface (0-2, 15th). Steenvoorde reacted and reduced the score before returning to the locker room. Steven Carpentier sprang on the left wing to regain a good cross (1-2, 35th).

Released by this goal, the Red and Black equalized at the start of the second period. Jeremy Decool picked up a ball lost by the Portelois goalkeeper on a corner (2-2, 50th). The match was restarted. The atmosphere seemed stifling in this low-ranking fight.

Porteloise expulsion: the turning point

This tension reached its peak with the fault of Amadou Sow at the end of the match. Direct red card: the defender left Le Portel at 10 at the worst time. Cruel scenario for the red lantern of the championship, which was sanctioned just after this expulsion. In the 90th + 1 minute of play, Valentin Candas threw himself into the box to take a long ball and offer an unexpected victory to the public of Steenvoorde. The supporters, in good shape during this meeting, exulted and celebrated this goal with the players.

Nicolas Guilbert, ASS coach, feared this meeting: “ We struggled to get into the match, on a complicated ground. It was difficult to deliver great football today. I told my players that everything was going to be played out in their heads. Given our situation, it was like a Coupe de France match: we knew that it was the team that wanted it the most that would get away with it. I congratulate my players. « 

STEENVOORDE – LE PORTEL: 3-2 (1-2).

Referee: Mr. Thibault.

Goals: Carpentier (35th), Decool (50th), Candas (90th + 1) for Steenvoorde; Camara (10th), Benkada (15th) for Le Portel.

Expulsion du Portelois Sow (87th).

STEENVOORDE: Heneman; Depriester, Denys, Carpentier, Kaboyi; Willemot, Decool, Bertheloot (Devos, 78th); Candas, Bacquaert (Bourgeois, 62nd), Carpentier.

Trainer: Nicolas Guilbert

THE PORTAL: Level; Golliot, Persello, Ledez, Delpierre (cap.); Sow, Benkada (Langlet, 78th), Prevot; Camara (Vercruysse, 69th), Fofana, Halle (Delhaye, 82nd). Coach: Vincent Ehouman.