Annecy suffered a 2-1 defeat at Guingamp in Ligue 2 on Saturday, a loss that halts a positive run. The Savoyard club had taken an early lead but collapsed in a ten-minute spell in the second half.
Laurent Guyot set his team up in a 4-3-3 formation with Florian Escales in goal. Thibault Rambaud, Paul Venot and Zepiqueno Redmond formed the starting front three. The Annecy manager explained his selection after the match. "We wanted to be solid and use our pace up front," he said. "The start of the game proved us right."
The Savoyard opener
The advantage came quickly. From an assist by Paul Venot, Thibault Rambaud beat Guingamp goalkeeper Adrián Ortolá in the 13th minute. The Annecy striker scored his second goal of the season. The team then tried to manage their lead but committed numerous fouls, receiving two yellow cards before halftime for Delphis and Rambaud.
Guingamp's fatal comeback
The momentum shifted after the hour mark. Tanguy Ahile equalised for Guingamp in the 62nd minute, finishing from a Donacien Gomis cross. Four minutes later, substitute Brandon Bokangu put the Bretons ahead with a well-placed shot. Laurent Guyot reacted with three attacking changes between the 63rd and 77th minutes, bringing on Koné, Sahi and Mozie, but failed to recreate the danger.
The statistics show an even match in possession (51% for Guingamp) but where Annecy were less precise, with only four shots on target from nine attempts. Goalkeeper Escales made five saves. This defeat comes as Annecy were sitting fourth in the championship with ten points. The club retains that position despite the loss, five points behind leaders Saint-Étienne. The upcoming fixtures are now key.
The next match is a home game against Dijon, tenth in the table, on Friday 18 September. Laurent Guyot will need to quickly rediscover the defensive solidity shown at the start of the season, where his team had conceded only five goals in five matches. The squad selection will be watched closely for this essential home game to stay in the upper reaches of the table.
Laurent Guyot confirmed a tactical change after the defeat at Guingamp. 'We lost control in midfield,' the manager said. The Savoyard club, fourth in Ligue 2 with ten points, has now conceded seven goals this season. Annecy will host Dijon on September 18.
The referee did not award a penalty to Guingamp after a tussle in the Annecy box as early as the 5th minute. Stanislas Kielt went down following an aerial duel with defender Kouadio. Annecy also had a goal ruled out for offside in the 71st minute and Adrián Ortolá made a key save against Sahi in the 85th. Annecy, fourth in Ligue 2 with ten points, has scored eight goals and conceded seven this season.
