Nigerian FC Lorient striker Terem Moffi celebrates his goal against PSG which gives the Hake the victory.

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AFP

  • FC Lorient travels to Rennes on Wednesday evening to try to keep up the good momentum.

  • Last in Ligue 1 and hit by the Covid-19, the Morbihan club straightened its head by beating Dijon then PSG in spectacular matches.

  • Coach Christophe Pelissier believes his team has suffered from bad luck since the start of the season.

A ball from the Dijon goalkeeper in the 96th and a liberating goal from Moffi in the 92nd to punish sufficient Parisians.

These two facts of the game occurring in added time were enough for the happiness of the Lorient, who managed the feat of gleaning a third of their points in two games and five days.

Plagued by the Covid-19 epidemic which hit 22 members of its staff, FC Lorient emerged when we least expected it.

While they were last in Ligue 1, the Merlus have chained two victories gleaned on the same score (3-2).

First by beating Dijon in a match which was expensive for the maintenance then by punishing the great PSG a few days later.

At the approach of a perilous trip to the Rennes neighbor, the Hake appear relieved and uninhibited.

The secrets of this sudden success?

Here are three.

And a warning, offered by coach Christophe Pélissier.

The bit of luck that was missing

When we asked Christophe Pélissier what had changed between FC Lorient who lost everything and the one who beat PSG on Sunday, he did not hesitate.

“We lacked a lot of success.

It felt like it never tipped on the right side.

When we saw that it turned in our favor in the 96th against Dijon (CSC of the goalkeeper), it really relieved us ”, recognizes the former coach of Amiens.

His central defender Julien Laporte abounds.

“At half-time, against Dijon, we found ourselves with our backs to the wall.

We stayed at 12 points, they had 18. We ate our black bread.

And for once, it turned in our favor, ”explains the player trained in Clermont.

He, who was one of the first to be affected by the coronavirus, hopes that his club will now be spared by the epidemic.

Two games had to be postponed.

The Lorientans have one game left to play against the current Ligue 1 player, Nîmes, in a very dense month of February where they will play every three days.

"With the Covid, we do not know how the organizations will react in the long term", recognizes Julien Laporte.

The fire attack that ignites

Wednesday evening, Stade Rennais will be able to envy their opponent in a sector.

That of offensive efficiency.

Its top scorers are four goals and are defender, midfielder or replacement.

Opposite, Christophe Pélissier will be able to line up his two men with six goals Yoane Wissa and Terem Moffi, and draw from his reservoir consisting in particular of Pierre-Yves Hamel and Adrian Grbic.

“When we score against Paris on Sunday, it's Pierre-Yves Hamel who gets a ball in our 18 meters.

He puts his individual qualities at the service of a group.

It is perhaps that which made us pass a course ”, explains the coach.

“It's a very playful team, which plays very well in transition.

Enzo the Fairy brings a real technical touch to the middle.

They must be taken seriously, ”warns Rennes coach Julien Stéphan. 

The not-so-defensive five-defensive system

If FC Lorient is used to vegetating in the last places of the Ligue 1 standings, it is nevertheless one of the most spectacular clubs this season.

It is not always for the best, as the Hakes find it difficult to keep their clean sheet.

After Nîmes, Lorient is the worst defense in Ligue 1 with 42 goals conceded.

“We have made progress.

Above all, we do not concede so many opportunities, ”said Julien Laporte.

“In Nice, they have two chances and they do two strings (three shots in reality).

We have 24, but we only put two ”.

As he did in Amiens, Christophe Pélissier likes to opt for a defense with five.

But he denies being a defensive coach and the stats mentioned above speak for him.

“This group has extraordinary resources but it has to play its game. Our system is very offensive.

We had played good games since the start of the season, but that couldn't be seen when we looked at the results prism ”.

The coach's warning

“To have won against PSG is very good for the minds and on an accounting level.

But we must show humility ”.

When it comes time to face Stade Rennais, Christophe Pélissier warned his players about the risk of devolution that could exist after the two consecutive victories.

The coach did not forget the first leg, where his men were slapped 3-0.

A meeting marked by the death of a gardener from the club, after the final whistle.

“A month ago, we didn't exist.

They had been superior to us in all areas ”.

“It will be another team.

It has filled its reservoir of confidence, ”warns Julien Stéphan for his part.

The derby promises to be undecided.

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