4/6/09
Júninho Cappa has yet again been named to the Ligue 1 Team of the Week. That’s the 4th time he’s been named to the weekly team, an impressive feat considering he’s only been in the Ligue 1 & with us here at AS Saint-Étienne only since January.
Congratulations once again to JC.
Ligue 1 Team of the Week
GK: Olivier Sorin, AJ Auxerre
RB: Franck Béria, LOSC Lille Métropole
LB: Franck Jurietti, FC Girondins Bordeaux
CD: Aurélien Chedjou, LOSC Lille Métropole
CD: Onyekachi Apam, OGC Nice Côte d’Azur
CM: Pascal Bérenguer, AS Nancy Lorraine
CM: Julien Féret, AS Nancy Lorraine
AM: Júninho Cappa, AS Saint-Étienne
AM: Veigar Páll Gunnarsson, AS Nancy Lorraine
AM: Stefan Babović, FC Nantes
ST: Baky Koné, Olympiue Marseille
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AS Saint-Étienne B walloped Monts d’Or Azergues by the score of five-zero. Les Verts goals were bagged by Yohan Benalouane, Fayçal Lebbihi, Sébastien Grax (2) & David Gigliotti.
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4/7/09
We’ve signed Algerian goalkeeper, Nabil Gharbi, who had been on trial with us for the previous two weeks along with several other players. However, Gharbi is the only player out of the group of trialists we’ve signed. We’ve signed him mainly for the reserves team.
The following players have been released following their two-week trial periods:
Jean-Marie Arru, A; Yohann Bus, G; Boubacar Coulibaly, M; Guillaume Deschamps, A; Ngabo Mwizerwa, A; Olivier N’siabamfumu, D; Jonathan Reine-Adelaïde, D
Despite AS Monaco FC fighting for their Ligue 1 lives, they put up a gallant effort against us this evening but we came out on top by a lone Bafétimbi Gomis goal two minutes before halftime.
This was a game that was more similar to our form early in the season where we were struggling but still managing to secure the three points at the end of the day. We probably should’ve won by a bigger margin & I was disappointed we didn’t especially as Monaco was playing with a very young central defender which I felt we didn’t test enough all day. When we did threaten, we were wasteful in front of goal for the most part.
Gomis & Dimitri Payet had excellent chances to head home in the 1st half but Gomis’ header was tame & right at Stéphane Ruffier in the Monaco net & Payet headed a backpost header all the way across goal missing, when he arguably should’ve scored.
Gomis’ goal came on a header in the 43rd minute when Kévin Mirallas latched onto a long ball out to the wing & with a good turn of pace showed François Modesto his heels before crossing to the backpost & finding a diving Gomis near the six yard box.
Speaking of Modesto, we had a sending off shout about him four minutes after the break when he took down Mirallas on another long ball when it looked like he was the last man back & Mirallas was about to leave him in the dust again. However, while we got a foul called, there was no caution on the play much less a red card.
This left us fuming as we felt Monaco should’ve been down to ten men & I think our players kind of pouted over this as we kind of packed it in & tried to coast home with a one-nil lead. Paulo Machado’s blast from just outside the center of the box three minutes before full time being the only real threat we gave after this.
In injury time, we should’ve had a second goal, however, when young debutant American attacking player, Michael Channell, was taken down in the center of the box for a penalty. Gomis stepped up to take the spot kick but it was poorly placed to the right & was easily saved out for a corner by Ruffier. From the ensuing corner, the ball found it’s way to the feet of Júninho Cappa but his low drive was well held by Ruffier.
But three points is three points & seeing as PSG lost, we have a five point buffer between us in third & them in fourth. We’re fourteen points above Toulouse FC in sixth place for the final European qualifying spot. So our “magic number” for qualifying for Europe is eight with seven matches to go. I don’t want to count our chickens before they hatch, but we’re very confident at this point we’ll meet that season goal with still a good chance to qualify for the Champions’ League too not just Europa League.
Next match is against the aforementioned Toulouse in four days’ time, so we have a very good chance to immediately boost our chances of solidifying that goal.
Allons Les Verts!
4/4/09
Match Facts
AS Saint-Étienne 6/4, Draw 2/1, AS Monaco FC 13/8
Venue: Stade Louis II, Monaco
Conditions: Wet 62° F
Attendance: 6,584
Line-ups
AS Monaco FC (4-1-2-1-2): Stéphane Ruffier; Song-Chong Goog (60′ Nikola Prikrovač), Nicolas N’Koulou, Patrick Müller, François Modesto; Jerko Leko (71′ Igor Lolo); Jean-Jacques Gosso, Hugo (44′ Cédric Mongongu); Camel Meriem; Djamel Bakar, Frédéric Nimani
Subs not used: Flavio Roma, Wilfried Niflore, Alejandro Alonso, Freddy Adu
AS Saint-Étienne (4-2-3-1): Jérémie Janot; David Sauget, Moustapha Bayal, Papa Gueye, Sylvain Monsoreau; Blaise Matuidi, Yohann Hautcœur (63 Frédson [77' Michael Channell]); Kévin Mirallas, Júninho Cappa, Dimitri Payet (69′ Paulo Machado); Bafétimbi Gomis
Subs not used: Jody Viviani, Yohan Benalouane, Stathis Tavlaridis, Serge Didi
Goals: 43′ Gomis
Cautions: 37′ Leko (M), 57′ Bayal (S), 87′ Lolo (M), 89′ Mongongu (M)
Sent-off: None
Man of the Match: Júninho Cappa, AS Saint-Étienne
Halftime score: 1-0
Match Official: Damien Letendu (Montpellier)
Match Stats
AS Monaco FC AS Saint-Étienne
Shots 4 16
- On Target 1 8
- Off Target 1 3
- Blocked 2 5
Clear Cut Chances 0 3
Possession 39% 61%
Corners 1 4
Free Kicks 22 21
Throw Ins 16 17
Fouls 17 14
Offsides 5 8
Passes Completed 62% 73%
Crosses Completed 18% 24%
Tackles Won 88% 86%
Headers Won 50% 72%
Yellow Cards 3 1
Red Cards 0 0
International Round-Up
• Kévin Mirallas, A, Belgium at Bosnia-Herzegovina, WCQ, D, 1-1 [started, played 90 minutes]
• Stathis Tavlaridis, D, Greece vs. Israel, D, 0-0, WCQ [ started, played 90 minutes]
• Kasey Wehrman, M, Australia vs. Uzbekistan, WCQ, W, 1-0 [started, played 73 minutes]
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Júninho Cappa has finished 3rd for the Ligue 1 Player of the Month Award. Júninho Cappa had a terrific month banging in goals & being an offensive force in only his third month at the club. He’s kind of taking the Ligue 1 by storm, or did in March anyway.
He finished behind defenders Nicolas Plestan of Lille & Pape Diahakte of PSG, respectively.
Congratulations to JC & we hope he finishes out the season in such great form.
u-21 Internationals
• Yohan Benalouane, France vs. Lithuania, W, 7-0 [started, played 90 minutes, assist]
• Armin Causevic, M, Bosnia-Herzegovina vs. Belgium, L, 4-1 [started, played 53 minutes]
• Michael Channell, M/A, United States vs. Honduras, W, 2-0 [started, played 45 minutes, goal]
• Blaise Matuidi, M, France vs. Lithuania, W, 7-0 [started, played 45 minutes]
• Dimitri Payet, M, France vs. Lithuania, W, 7-0 [came on as substitute in 75th minute, played 15 minutes, goal]
3/29/09 U-18s at FC Istres W, 4-1
Lineup: Gaël Miquel ( 56′ Stéphane Moulin); Malek Amara, Pierrick Cros, Loris Nery, Jean-Pierre Dubourg; Mathys Bauer, Fernando Franco, Laurent Leclercq (65′ Mickaël Miniconi); Njaka Rafilibera (82′ Samuel Vigouroux), Antoine De La Cruz, Simplice Makengo
Subs not used: Clément Jouve, Lorenzo Wilhelm
Goals: 2′ & 37′ De La Cruz (S), 31′ Sireix, (I), 71′ Cros (S), 87′ Bauer (S)
Cautions: 43′ Nery (S), 65′ Cros (S)
Sent-off: None
Att: 126
3/30/09 AS Saint-Étienne B beat Beaune FC, 2-0; goals by Frédson & Anthony Badel.
3/28/09
International Round-Up
• Moustapha Bayal, D, Senegal at Egypt, WCQ, W, 1-0 [started, played 78 minutes]
• Papa Coulibaly, G, Senegal at Egypt, WCQ, W, 1-0 [unused substitute]
• Papa Gueye, D, Senegal at Egypt, WCQ, W, 1-0 [started, played, 90 minutes]
• Kévin Mirallas, A, Belgium vs. Bosnia-Herzegovina, WCQ,W, 3-0 [not named in matchday squad]
• Stathis Tavalridis, D, Greece at Israel, WCQ, D, 1-1 [started, played 90 minutes]
- Nabil Gharbi, G, Algeria at Congo, W, 2-1 [started, played 90 minutes]
3/26/09
u-19 Internationals
Malek Amara, D/M, Algeria at Congo, W, 2-0 [started, played 57 minutes]
Sergi Didi, A, Cote d’Ivoire vs. Guinea, L, 2-1 [came on as substitute in 71st minute, played 19 minutes]
Mohamed Gaye, A, Senegal at Egypt, L, 2-1 [started, played 55 minutes, goal]
Simplice Makengo, A, Democratic Republic of Congo at Gabon, W, 2-1 [not named in matchday squad]
Sidi Sagna, M, Senegal at Egypt, L, 2-1 [came on as substitute in 78th minute, played 12 minutes]
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3/27/09
U-21 Internationals
Yohan Benalouane, D France at Lithuania, W, 3-0 [came on as substitute in 72nd minute, played 18 minutes]
Armin Causevic, M, Bosnia-Herzegovina at Belgium, L, 5-1 [started, played 90 minutes]
Hilton Dos Reis, Cape Verde Islands at Togo, L, 1-0 [started, played 90 minutes]
Josua Guilavogui, M, Guinea at Cote d’Ivoire, L, 2-0 [started, played 82 minutes]
Fayçal Lebbihi, M, Algeria at Congo, L, 1-0 [not named in matchday squad]
Amine Linganzi, M/D, Algeria at Congo, L, 1-0 [started, played 90 minutes]
Boubacar Mansaly, M, Senegal at Egypt, W, 1-0 [started, played 61 minutes]
Blaise Matuidi, M, France at Lithuania, W, 3-0 [started, played 45 minutes]
Serigne Mbaye, D, Senegal at Egypt, W, 1-0 [came on as substitute in 23rd minute, played 67 minutes]
Dimitri Payet, M, France at Lithuania, W, 3-0 [started, played 80 minutes, assists]
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Reserve team trialist, Turkish striker Bilgehan Kücükçolak, has been released from his trial due to injury. He had only been on trial with the reserves for a few days & his injury will extend past his trial end date, so we’re terminating the trial with immediate effect. We wish young Bilgehan luck with finding a new club to ply his trade with.
3/25/09
Well, we’ve drawn arch-rival Olympique Lyonnais in our Coupe de France semifinal match. So we have the task of unseating Lyon in their quest for the domestic treble (league, cup, league cup) which is daunting to say the least since it’ll be in Lyon. However, we arguably outplayed them last time out despite our 3-2 defeat in Lyon, so I’m hoping the lads will work on that result & coupled with the anything-can-happen vibe of a cup tie, it’ll see us to the upset victory.thing-can-happen vibe of a cup tie, it’ll see us to the upset victory.
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Plenty of call-ups for international match-ups this weekend. Counting all three levels (A, U-21s & U-19s) there are some twenty-two Les Verts players involved with their countries this week. twenty-three if you count a trialist goalkeeper we took on last week. They are as follows:
Full Internationals
Moustapha Bayal, D, Senegal at Egypt, World Cup Qualifier, March 28th
Papa Coulibaly, G, Senegal at Egypt, World Cup Qualifier, March 28th
Papa Gueye, D/M, Senegal at Egypt, World Cup Qualifier, March 28th
Kévin Mirallas, A, Belgium vs. Bosnia-Herzegovina, home & away World Cup Qualifiers, March 28th & April 1st.
Stathis Tavlaridis, D, Greece vs. Israel,home & away World Cup Qualifiers, March 28th & April 1st.
Kasey Wehrman, M, Australia vs. Uzbekistan, April 1st, Asian World Cup Qualifier.
- Nabil Gharbi, G, Algeria at Congo, World Cup Qualifier, March 28th
U-21 Internationals
Yohan Benalouane, D, France, away & home to Lithuania, March 27th & March 31st.
Armin Causevic, M, Bosnia-Herzegovina away & home to Belgium, March 27th & March 31st.
Michael Channell, M, United States vs. Honduras, March 31st.
Hilton Dos Reis, A, Cape Verde Islands at Togo, March 27th.
Jousa Guilavogui, M, Guinea at Cote d’Ivoire, March 27th.
Fayçal Lebbihi, M, Algeria at Congo, March 27th.
Amine Linganzi, M/D, Algeria at Congo, March 27th.
Boubacar Mansaly, M, Senegal at Egypt, March 27th.
Blaise Matuidi, M, D, France, away & home to Lithuania, March 27th & March 31st.
Serigne Mbaye, D/M, Senegal at Egypt, March 27th.
Dimitri Payet, M, D, France, away & home to Lithuania, March 27th & March 31st.
U-19 Internationals
Malek Amara, Algeria at Congo, March 26th.
Serge Didi, Cote d’Ivoire vs. Guinea, March 26th.
Mohammed Gaye, A, Senegal at Egypt, March 26th.
Simplice Makengo, A, Democratic Republic of Congo vs. Gabon, March 26th.
Sidi Sagna, Senegal at Egypt, March 26th.
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- 3/23/09 AS Saint-Étienne B defeated Olympique Noisy-le-Sec, 5-0. Les Verts goals were scored by Ilan, Eliaquim Mangala, Michael Channell & Mehdi Messaoudi. A Noisy own goal was also scored in our favor.
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Jérémie Janot has been named to the Ligue 1 Team of the Week.
Ligue 1 Team of the Week for 3/23
GK: Jérémie Janot, AS Saint-Étienne
RB: Guillaume Mollec, FC Nantes
LB: Mamadou Sakho, Paris-Saint Germain
CD: Pape Diakhate, Paris-Saint Germain
CD: Michaël Ciani, FC Lorient Bretagne Sud
CM: Ricardo Faty, FC Nantes
CM: Sergey Krivets, Le Mans UC 72
AM: Mathieu Bodmer, Olympique Lyonnais
AM: Olivier Echouafni, OGC Nice Côte d’Azur
AM: Oscar Ewolo, FC Lorient Bretagne Sud
ST: Gabriel Obertan, FC Lorient Bretagne Sud
- Two more reserve team trialists taken on. Both are strikers. They are Jean-Marie Arru & Guillaume Deschamps & both players will be on a two-week trial from 3/23 to 4/6
