stress, rhinestones and glitter … the TFC won in Strasbourg and continues its good series

For now, nothing will stop the TFC in 2023. In any case, direct competitors are not. In Strasbourg, the Violets signed their fifth win in six games in all competitions since January 1, their third in Ligue 1. And especially their second away, after the card in Auxerre on January 11 (5-0) . Before the game, coach Philippe Montanier felt that this festival at Abbé Deschamps had made his people aware that they had a real card to play for export. They proved it in La Meinau, against an opponent they tortured for 45 minutes in the stadium in October before joining (2-2).

A gross error by Rasmus Nicolaisen (penalty + red card) brought the Alsatians back to life at the time. We once thought we were entitled to the same bad scenario, but with a different distribution: Anthony Rouault got a hole, giving Gameiro a boulevard and at the end easily beat Dupé who had anticipated too early (1-0, 20th) . An unusual sign of feverishness for the Lot-et-Garonnais returning from injury, which was added to other gestures not often seen by Tef followers, such as this completely missed pass over the full shaft by van den Boomen (8) . But after 20 minutes in obscurity, the TFC was able to hang the wagons.

Crazy endgame

And in particular thanks to his number 9, Thijs Dallinga. Left on the bench for the past three days, when he appeared to be on the upswing, the Dutchman showed he deserved better. Successful on the first goal, well placed on both, the young centre-forward struck at the right time, equalized very quickly (1-1, 25th) and then put the Violets in the lead at the heart of their pinnacle, at the start of the second period. After that it was necessary to manage the advance. And there we certainly saw how much the TFC is a team. In a breath-taking end to the match, extended by nine minutes of extra time, Strasbourg pushed, hit the post by Diallo (89), saw Gameiro sent off (90+4), Montanier was booked, mad with fury that an action continues while Farès Chaïbi was on the ground (90 + 2), van den Boomen had a cramp, de Meinau demanded a penalty…
“I would have preferred more control at the end, but I knew before the game, with this stadium complete, a team that wants to get back to scoring, things can get complicated quickly,” the Toulouse coach blew. But we showed virtues, fighting, ”he appreciated.

Envy aside, the Violets will have come through the game as well, as evidenced by this second goal capping off a great play on the left. Also prove that they know how to thwart the opponent, after a first half in which Strasbourg mainly blocked the corridors on the left. In the end, the Toulouse, 12th, are just 11 points ahead of their weekend opponents, who were relegated first. However, it is impossible to have Philippe Montanier say that the TFC can now think of anything other than maintenance. “We look a little forward, a little back,” the coach escapes with a smile. At the front, after having received Troyes, there are Paris, Rennes and Marseille in particular. Enthusiasm does not stand in the way of caution.