(Ligue 1 2023/2024): Highlights TOULOUSE - BRESTOIS
It was Purple versus Pirate in the south-west on the final day at Toulouse-Cousted-Brest.
Viollet had little to play for coming into the match 11th,
with a decent shot at 10th.
Two sides above them in the table faced off.
There was far more at stake for Les Pirates, of course,
who have long since confirmed their first ever European campaign
and ensured it was a Champions League one in the draw against France last weekend.
They now seek to avoid the qualification stages by reclaiming third place for Lille,
who moved a level on points with Brest last weekend,
boasting a goal difference superior by all of two goals.
Having already secured their highest number of points across a top-flight campaign,
Brest went in search of another three.
After only three minutes,
Ancelotti and Maradunbia nearly added to his personal tally,
as denied by Guillaume Rest.
Highly sought-after teenager,
involved again soon after,
as he this time made an instinctive stop from a teammate,
preventing a given event.
Next up, an easier save from an opposition player,
Steve Meunier trying his luck.
He would have needed to be very lucky
with an effort like that from that kind of range to beat the informed Brest.
On the other end, it was Kenny Lalla to the rescue,
as Toulouse finally got on the front foot,
ball into the danger area for the Brest man there first.
Christelinga waiting behind,
if he had missed it,
Ancelotti appreciative of the defender's intervention.
The rain pelting down,
it was perhaps unsurprisingly the Pirates who set sail.
Possessing a league-high 11 away goals
between the start of the second half and the hour mark,
they did it again soon after the restart.
In the 48th minute, Maddy Kammerer curling in her beauty.
Nice passing move in the build-up,
and Kammerer with his seventh Ligue 1 Uber Eats goal,
each of them away from home.
And this surely the pick of the bunch.
Lina Mbappe and Wissam Ben Yedda
have scored more away goals in the top flight this season.
There was another beauty from range to come,
Jordan Amavi doubling the visitor's lead just six minutes later.
And former Aston Villaman with a lovely free kick,
whipped over the top of the wall.
Starting his first Ligue 1 Uber Eats match since April 2022,
he finds the net with his first ever direct free kick attempt
in the top flight.
It's a wonder he's not had more of them.
A header down the other end, dealt with by Marco Bizotte.
And after that, mild scare,
Lalla would add a fortuitous third in the 90th minute.
A deflected strike, leaving rest with no chance.
Nothing the keeper could do,
as he deflected off his captain in front of him.
The Brest fans wouldn't care how they went in,
and they would care even less once news of a late equaliser
in the Lille game reached them,
thus confirming their spot on the podium
and in the Champions League group stages.