FC Annecy were beaten by Dijon (1-2) on Friday night at the Parc des Sports, suffering a second consecutive defeat before the international break. Leading at halftime, Laurent Guyot's side endured a fatal five-minute Dijon fightback in the second half.
Clement Billemaz had opened the scoring for Annecy in the 41st minute, assisted by Thibault Rambaud. The goal capped a strong first-half display from the hosts in front of 5381 spectators.
But the momentum shifted dramatically after the interval. Manager Laurent Guyot acknowledged his team became too passive. Leading at the break, FC Annecy, too managerial in the second half, suffered the Dijon revival, he said. Substitutions made by Dijon coach Baptiste Ridira changed the game.
Júlio Tavares, introduced in the 71st minute, scored a decisive double. He equalised in the 77th minute from an Adel Lembezat assist, then put the visitors ahead just five minutes later. Annecy came close to an equaliser twice. Abdoulaye Diouf hit the post in the 65th minute, and Steve Larose struck the crossbar deep into added time (90+4).
A Worrying Pattern
This defeat marks the third time this season Annecy have lost a match after being in a winning position. Similar scenarios unfolded against Reims (1-3) and Guingamp (1-2). The Savoyard club now has a record of three wins, one draw, and three losses from seven matches. With 10 points, they sit 7th in the Ligue 2 standings, six points behind leaders Saint-Étienne.
Laurent Guyot's starting lineup featured Escales in goal. The defence consisted of Delphis, Veillon, Do Marcolino and Kouadio. Koné, Kashi and Venot formed the midfield behind the attacking trio of Young, Rambaud and Billemaz. Captain Kashi was booked in the first half, as were Koné and Diouf after the break.
The international break now provides a three-week pause. It gives the squad time to reflect on this setback and prepare for the restart. The next fixture is an away trip to Dunkerque on October 9th. The full upcoming schedule can be found on our fixtures page.
For Laurent Guyot, the focus will be on rediscovering the defensive solidity and attacking punch shown earlier in the campaign. The team has scored nine goals but also conceded nine. The coaching staff must address game management, particularly when protecting a lead. The squad will return to training aiming to get back to winning ways at Dunkerque, a key match to rebuild momentum ahead of a busy period.
The original report is at Le Dauphiné Libéré
DFCO confirmed that Júlio Tavares, its legendary striker, scored the decisive double. The Dijon club stated that Tavares had allowed the team to go into the international break "in a good position". With this win, Dijon has nine points and climbs to a provisional ninth place in the Ligue 2 table.
DFCO confirmed that Júlio Tavares, its legendary striker, was the author of the decisive double. The Dijon club stated that Tavares had allowed the team to enter the international break "in good spirits". With this win, Dijon totals nine points and climbs to ninth place in the provisional Ligue 2 standings.
Dijon defender Quentin Bernard revealed that coach Baptiste Ridira had motivated the team before the match. "The coach told us at the start of the match 'it would piss me off to spend three weeks in last place'", Bernard said. The player also called Júlio Tavares the group's "totem". Striker Tavares himself had described the evening as "perfect" after his decisive double.
