Algeria international Youcef Belaïli scored a brace of penalties as Ajaccio came back from 2-0 down to win 4-2 on Saturday to defeat Strasbourg for the first time since May 1971.
THE MATCH
Belaïli joined Ajaccio after falling out of favour with Brest earlier this season, but he looked unlikely to be the hero of the day when the hosts — without a win in three matches — appeared to have had the game taken away from them very early on.
Jean-Ricner Bellegarde bent home a superb free-kick after Ismaël Diallo had handled just outside the penalty box (6'), and Kevin Gameiro then claimed his fifth league goal of the season to make it 2-0 to the visitors, controlling Alexander Djiku's header on his chest before brilliantly lobbing Benjamin Leroy (17').
Without a win themselves in three matches, Strasbourg looked well on course to win this first top-flight meeting between the two since February 2006, but that was to count out one of the most remarkable comebacks for many a season as the hosts somehow took back the initiative.
Thomas Delaine's handball was punished with a spot-kick that Belaïli netted (33'), and barely 60 seconds later, Mounaïm El Idrissy latched onto Romain Hamouma's pass to level (34'). Matz Sels then stopped a Belaïli shot (36') before the Ajaccio man was fouled inside the box by the unfortunate Delaine — that penalty ended in the same way as the first to leave the hosts ahead (39').
It was to get better still for Olivier Pantaloni's men, who edged two goals clear when Riad Nouri headed home from point-blank range after Belaïli had bamboozled Djiku before delivering a pinpoint cross (45+3').
Belaïli would have had a remarkable penalty hat-trick had he managed to net a his third spot-kick of an incredible 90 minutes following Maxime Le Marchand's foul on Hamouma, but the former Brest man this time failed to hit the target (63').
Clément Vidal's red card (79') for a foul on Lebo Mothiba meant the game ended on a negative for the hosts, but Ajaccio pocketed a precious three points, their first at their Stade François Coty this season, while Strasbourg now have just one victory in 14 matches this campaign.
THE PLAYER: Youcef Belaïli
Who else could it have been? He scored three times in 19 league appearances for Brest, but very nearly tallied that in just over an hour on the pitch against Strasbourg. His approach work for his team's fourth goal showed his undoubted ability on the ball from open play too. On this form, he'll be a huge asset for Ajaccio.
THE STAT: 500
This was Ajaccio's 500th Ligue 1 Uber Eats game. Their record reads 134 wins, 133 draws, 233 defeats.
