Rodez surge past Red Star to keep promotion push alive
Match Report
Rodez left Stade de Paris with a 3-2 win that sends them on to face Saint-Étienne and ends Red Star’s promotion dream. It was a bruising Ligue 1 play-off tie, settled by two goals in two minutes just as the hosts believed they had regained control.
C. Caminiti’s 3-5-2 started on script when Kévin Cabral finished Damien Durand’s pass in the 14th minute. Rodez, managed by D. Santini, looked timid early in their 5-3-2 but stabilised once Tairyk Arconte slipped Ibrahima Baldé through for the 29th-minute equaliser. Red Star’s possession dominance, 63 percent by full time, did not translate into clear chances.
The second half tilted again when Josué Escartin swept in Cabral’s lay-off in the 61st minute. Caminiti immediately doubled down, sending on Giovanni Haag and Hacene Benali at 62 minutes to lock down midfield. It backfired. Santini’s counter move on 66 minutes, introducing Ryan Ponti and Wilitty Younoussa, flipped the tie. Nolan Galves released Mathis Magnin, who levelled in the 67th minute, and Younoussa struck unassisted in the 69th minute just three minutes after coming on.
Red Star’s bench storm at 75 and 76 minutes, with Théo Magnin, Saîf-Eddine Khaoui and Pape Meïssa Ba thrown on, produced little. Instead frustration boiled over. Balthazar Pierret was booked for arguing in the 63rd minute, Bradley Danger at 89 minutes and Benali in the 90th minute followed suit. Haag completed the collapse with a red card for dissent at 90+6 minutes.
Tactical Snapshot
Red Star’s 3-5-2 was meant to overload wide areas, with Durand and Bradley Danger pushing high to pin Galves and Jean-Lambert. Santini instructed his wing backs to sit deeper in the first half before releasing them after the break. Once that tweak came, Rodez transitions cut through the home press.
Cabral and Jovany Ikanga found pockets between Magnin and Lipinski in the opening hour, but Rodez tightened lines when Younoussa arrived. His presence allowed Alexis Trouillet to step higher while Jordan Mendes shielded routes into Cabral. Santini’s defensive line stayed narrow, forcing Red Star into sterile circulation.
Caminiti’s substitutions were reactive rather than strategic. Removing Cabral in the 75th minute stripped Red Star of their most incisive link player, and the reconfigured front line never threatened Quentin Braat.
Key Performers
Cabral was Red Star’s standout, with a goal in the 14th minute and the assist for Escartin at 61 minutes before leaving the pitch. Escartin justified his selection on the left of the back three, scoring and winning every duel he contested.
For Rodez, Magnin anchored the back line and delivered the 67th-minute equaliser, while Galves’ assist and tireless outlet play on the left set the platform. Substitute Younoussa transformed midfield tempo, scoring in the 69th minute as Red Star’s chase descended into frustration and late bookings. Arconte’s assist for Baldé was the spark that settled Rodez after a turbulent opening.
Key Statistics
- Possession: Red Star 63 percent, Rodez 37 percent
- Shots: Red Star 8, Rodez 12
- Shots on target: Red Star 4, Rodez 5
- Corner kicks: Red Star 2, Rodez 3
- Passes completed: Red Star 479, Rodez 254
What it Means
Rodez advance to face AS Saint-Étienne with momentum and the knowledge that Santini’s bench can change a tie inside minutes. Red Star’s season ends in recrimination, highlighted by Giovanni Haag’s dismissal and a wasteful final quarter-hour without Cabral. For a broader look at the promotion picture and the top-flight stakes, keep an eye on Lens vs Paris Saint Germain.
