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Guingamp break LOSC hearts

Guingamp break LOSC hearts

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Publish on 04/13 at 00:00 - S. WILLIS

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Goals from Nicolas Pépé (55') and Luiz Araujo (57') looked to have given LOSC all three points against EA Guingamp, but a Junior Alonso own goal (90+1') and injury time strike from Jimmy Briand (90+3') saw it end 2-2.

 LOSC 2-2 EA Guingamp 

THE MATCH

LOSC began the day in the automatic relegation places, winless in nine, but they started well at home to Guingamp, with an early Araujo square ball sailing agonisingly across the face of the visitors' goal without a Lille teammate to get on the end of it (9'). Yassine Benzia then found Edgar Ié from a free-kick, but the Portugal right-back was unable to get his header on target (20'). Benzia and Araujo combined soon after - the former sending the latter racing down the wing - but the Brazilian failed to find an unmarked Lebo Mothiba in the box (34'). It wasn't until first-half injury time that the Bretons mustered their first attempt on LOSC's goal. Clément Grenier - who not so long ago look like the natural heir to Juninho in the free-kick taking stakes at Olympique Lyonnais - had a chance from the edge of the area, but his set-piece sailed harmlessly into the hands of Hervé Koffi (45+1').

Second-half heartbreak

Grenier went from near-taker to near-maker minutes into the second half when he found Jimmy Briand with a defence-splitting pass, but Koffi raced off his line to deny the former France international in a one-on-one (52'). LOSC punished Guingamp's profligacy in a whirlwind few minutes. Benzia got the break of the ball following a goal-mouth scramble and teed up Nicolas Pépé to hook home his tenth goal of the Ligue 1 Conforama campaign (55') and Araujo then deservedly got his own name on the scoresheet, picking up on Pépé's pass to steer home for 2-0 (57'). Guingamp poured on the pressure from that point, though, and after Alonso turned Jordan Ikoko's cross past his own goalkeeper (90+1'), Briand was on hand to deliver the final devastating blow to the hosts, staying onside before guiding home for 2-2 with the final kick of the game (90+3').

THE PLAYER: Clément Grenier

Grenier may have been unable to get a hold of his free-kicks from the edge of the LOSC box, but it is difficult to imagine that Antoine Kombouaré's men would have picked up this point with the former Lyon man's influence. Grenier had 81 touches at the heart of the Guingamp midfield and won 20 challenges - something the midfielder of old rarely managed. Leaving OL for Roma in 2017 looked to have been a mistake, but at 27, there is still time for him to get his career back on track.

THE STAT: 10

LOSC remain without a win in Ligue 1 Conforama since Week 23 - ten games ago. Since their 2-1 win over fellow strugglers RC Strasbourg Alsace in January, Christophe Galtier's side have dropped 24 points, and first stint in the second tier since the 1999/2000 is growing ever more likely.

 


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