We knew that this 34th and last evening of National would be crazy between the different climbs (2) and descents (6) of each other. It was and until the last moments on Friday evening, the four leading teams, Concarneau, Dunkirk, Red Star and Martigues vying all evening for the two qualifying places in Ligue 2 according to their respective results. At the bottom of the table, four other teams were vying for maintenance.
It was finally Concarneau and Dunkirk who got their ticket to Ligue 2, despite the successes of Red Star (3rd) and Martigues (4th), while Nancy, still in Ligue 1 six years ago, will play in National 2 next season.
Orleans – Concarneau: 1-2
Concarneau is heading to Ligue 2 for the first time in its history. The Breton club however trembled Friday evening on the lawn of Orleans, despite the opening of the score in the 14th minute by Farid El-Khoumisti. The Frenchman closely took over a ball from the right on a center back. But the Bretons got into trouble afterwards. First, by obtaining a penalty after a trip, concluded by the former Lyonnais Esteban Lepaul (43rd) before the break. Returning from the locker room, the championship leader seemed to tremble under the pressure of the result, wasting many opportunities.
Even when they put forward gear, a double parry from Orleans goalkeeper Théo Vermot including a superb tap from a corner (74th) prevented them from regaining the lead. They finally relied on incoming Antoine Rabillard. The former Marseille released Concarneau (2-1, 87th) in the last moments of the match to formalize the rise of the club.
Le Mans – Dunkirk: 2-3
Copy-pasted from the Concarneau match, Dunkirk first thought it was an easy evening before being hooked and then released. The Northerners indeed put a first foot and a half in Ligue 2 in the 20th minute when Ipiele struck from a tight angle and saw his ball go in with the involuntary help of the opposing goalkeeper, Ewan Hatfout (1-0). Before the break, Rayan Ghrieb, revelation of the season, delighted by entering the area on his left foot then fixing and scoring at close range (2-0, 40th).
But in the second half, Le Mans top scorer of the season, Armand Gnanduillet, found the frame with his head, ahead of his vis-à-vis in the air. Then took advantage of a huge recovery error, four minutes later and allowed the Sarthois to give themselves some air for the maintenance. But Rayan Griegh went there with his double at the end of the game allowing the Northerners to validate their ticket for Ligue 2. Despite his defeat, Le Mans remains in National.
Red Star – Saint-Brieuc: 2-0
The Red Star players did everything they could tonight to get their ticket to Ligue 2. Only their fate depended on the results of Concarneau and Dunkirk on the other lawns. This victory, obtained thanks to a double from the veteran (37 years old) Cheick N’doye, did not allow them to go up. The Senegalese opened the scoring with an inspired backheel in the 35th minute and then finished the job in stoppage time (90 + 1st).
The Red Star can nevertheless console themselves: even when Concarneau and Dunkirk were hooked, the Parisians were behind them in the standings, in the game of special goal difference with their opponents from a distance.
Martigues-Versailles: 4-3
The card of the evening. This match between the 4th and 5th in the Championship turned into madness, especially in the first period when five of the seven goals were scored. The meeting had started with a bang, Kapo Sylva scoring (3rd) with a low shot, yet not very dangerous. Martigues reacted and equalized with a header from Montiel, before two more goals were scored in two minutes (1-2, 20th then 2-2, 21st).
A goal from ex-Stéphanois Fabien Lemoine allowed the Versaillese to regain the lead for the third time of the evening. But the locals had some reserve, coming back in front in the second half with a late goal from Zakaria Fdaouch, ensuring success for the Provençals. In vain for the rise in Ligue 2.
Sedan-Villefranche Beaujolais: 0-3
We knew the Tigers Caladois on a good run since they remained before this meeting on three wins in a row. They added a fourth on Friday evening, winning clearly on the lawn of Sedan. During this clearly dominated game, Sidney Obossa had scored in the 11th minute, before Emmanuelli, totally alone in the box, made the break in the 26th minute, with a cross shot in the box. Idrissa Ba ends up completing the victory for the Rhodaniens, who make a big jump in the standings and can boast of having finished the season in 6th place, just ahead of their evening opponent, with the same number of points (46).
Avranches-Cholet: 2-1
Strange part that this match between two mid-ranking teams, far enough from the first places to hope for a climb but close enough to 13th place (synonymous with red zone) to fear the descent. However, the two teams held on well, with 8th and 9th places in the standings.
In this meeting, therefore, Stéphane Rossi’s men had opened the scoring on a penalty by Bridge Ndilu (41st) but the Normans reacted in less than five minutes in the second half, with an angry header from Koyalipou (51st) with a rebound then a new one. penalty goal, converted by Ihsan Sacko (2-1, 55th).
Even before the start of the match, Paris 13 Atletico knew they were relegated to National 2. Châteauroux, for its part, was in the fight to maintain it. That’s why they attacked straight away, finding the fault after a minute and a half, by Celal Bozkurt pushing the ball into the empty goal with his head, following a crossbar. La Berrichonne attacked again to lead 2-0 from the 24th minute, Nathanaël Ntolla Thio firing a missile from the left from a tight angle.
But, as on other lawns, Paris 13 Atletico spiced up this meeting by equalizing in a few moments (57th-63rd) in the second half, taking advantage in particular of a huge ball from the opposing goalkeeper. Finally, captain Romain Basque restored the advantage to Châteauroux to ensure the maintenance of his team.
Bourg-en-Bresse – Nancy: 3-3
Strange end to the match on the lawn of Bourg-en-Bresse. While the Nancy, already relegated from Ligue 2 to the National last year, descended to National 2, the Lorraine supporters caused the temporary stoppage of the meeting a few minutes from the end of the match, when the score was 3 -3. He didn’t change any more and Nancy was well and truly relegated this Friday evening to the 4th French division.
Six goals had however been scored in this spectacular meeting and the two teams always answered each other, tit for tat. Nancy thus led twice, in the second half, before being joined each time by tenacious Burgiens.
Le Puy-Borgo: 2-2
Only match without stake of the evening, this meeting between the 16th and the last, however gave birth to a pleasant part. The Corsicans led twice, under the impetus of their striker Gaëtan Missi Mezu (10th, 49th), but were joined each time by Auvergnats, them, carried by Mohamed Ben Fredj, also author of a double (25th, 70th).
Borgo will therefore not have managed to obtain a second victory in a row after his surprising success over Martigues (3-0) on the last day, and will never have managed to chain two successes in a row this season. The two clubs go down to National 2.
