Despite its numerical superiority throughout the first half, several clear opportunities in the first period, and two disallowed goals for offside after the break, one of which was in the final minute of stoppage time, FC Metz was not rewarded at home against the other relegation candidate, Nantes (0-0).
At least, FC Metz recorded a second consecutive league match without defeat, without conceding a goal… The last, and only, time this happened was during the first leg match against Nantes.
Not much to celebrate because, despite a good first half-hour, periods of dominance punctuated by clear actions, the maroons failed to win at home against Nantes, the other club destined for direct relegation to Ligue 2 (0-0). They thought they had snatched the victory, but the video assistant referee canceled Gauthier Hein’s goal, scored in the 5th minute of second half stoppage time for a very narrow offside.
Four saves by Lopez in the first half
The sparse crowd at St-Symphorien witnessed a good first half, overall dominated by the maroons. There were numerous chances to take the lead, by Deminguet (1st and 12th), Kouao (2nd), Hein (19th), and Sarr twice (43rd), as many as the saves (4) of Nantes’ goalkeeper, Anthony Lopes, a familiar face at St-Symphorien.
Metz played a whole half with 11 against 10
In numerical superiority after the direct red card of Nantes’ central defender Tati (39th), would FC Metz snatch the victory after the break? False joy after an hour of play when a goal by Hein was disallowed for an offside by Diallo, who struggled throughout the match, at the start of the action (67th). The first of the two goals canceled for FC Metz this Sunday, before Gauthier Hein’s late match goal…
