For their first home game of the season at the Allianz Riviera, Les Rouge et Noir were held to a 1-1 draw by a clinical Toulouse side this Sunday, despite Jonathan Clauss scoring his first goal in his new colours.

A frustrating point. That’s the prevailing feeling among Les Aiglons after their first home match of the 2024-2025 season against Toulouse. The players, under the direction of Franck Haise, were dominant and long believed they could secure a win at the Allianz Riviera. Mohamed-Ali Cho, whose goal was ultimately disallowed and Jonathan Clauss, already making an impact in his new kit, thrilled a packed stadium for this reunion after a break of three months.

But, just like last week in Auxerre, the end of the match did not favour Le Gym, who conceded at the brink of the last quarter-hour after a well-executed counter-attack by Toulouse, finished off with an unstoppable volley by Shavy Babicka at the far post (1-1, 73').

LE GYM DOMINATE

However, Les Azuréens started strong. Bolstered by the return of Melvin Bard to the starting eleven and the debut of their latest signing, Moïse Bombito, they had the best opening, putting the struggling Toulouse side under intense pressure. Well-positioned after a nice recovery by Tanguy Ndombele in the box, Clauss couldn’t capitalise (2'). Nor could Antoine Mendy, who, unmarked on the penalty spot, headed Mohamed-Ali Cho’s corner wide (4').

Undeterred by their numerous absences, Les Aiglons showcased technical superiority, driven by a classy Ndombele-Boudaoui duo that proved difficult for the opposing defence to manage. But the hosts lacked ruthlessness, as shown by Cho’s audacious volley that was tipped over the bar by Guillaume Restes (19'). Although TFC threatened on the counter through Yann Gboho, whose shot lacked the power to trouble Marcin Bułka (36'), it was Le Gym who finished the first half stronger. Following a superb move initiated by their Polish goalkeeper, Les Rouge et Noir executed a rapid transition, capped by Cho’s diving header from an Evann Guessand cross (43'). After celebrating what would have been his second goal of the season, the Nice striker had to accept the VAR decision, which ruled out the goal due to Bard’s foul on Nicolaisen in the build-up.

TOULOUSE FINISHED STRONGER

Still attacking despite the setback, Dante and his teammates started the second half aggressively, but once again found Restes in their way, as he made an excellent save from Cho’s shot from the right side of the box (51'). However, the French Olympic team’s goalkeeper was eventually beaten by Clauss a few minutes later, following a lightning-fast move that started with Bułka. Perfectly played through by Boudaoui, Le Gym’s summer signing didn’t hesitate to score his first competitive goal for the club with a precise shot that curled past Restes (1-0, 54').

Stung by this opening goal, Toulouse responded, spurred on by the introductions of Gabriel Suazo and Shavy Babicka, shortly after Frank Magri’s shot rattled Bułka’s crossbar (63'). Babicka then capitalised on Gboho’s cross to outjump Bard and strike the ball under the Nice goalkeeper’s bar.

Dominated by TFC, the end of the match slipped away from Les Aiglons, despite Cristian Casseres’ free-kick that grazed Bułka’s bar (83'). Even with a last-minute chance credited to Badredine Bouanani, denied by Guillaume Restes in added time, Le Gym could not turn the tide. Held to a draw, they will aim for their first win of the season against newly-promoted Angers next week (Sunday 1 September, 5pm), before the September international break.

Hugo Rondet