On December 5 in Troyes (2-1), referee Benjamin Lepaysant refused an anthology equalizer to Ali Abdi on a chisel returned in the 95th minute.
The Tunisian defender of Paris FC has not forgotten this episode.
“He stole a goal from me,” he regretted.
Saturday night, his recovery from a corner was validated by Mr. Lepaysant (1-0, 69th).
“Corners and set pieces have become one of our strengths,” admits central defender Ousmane Kanté (3 goals this season).
This small goal from Abdi allowed Paris FC, still hardly dashing, to avoid a new disillusionment in front of the red lantern Châteauroux and to break its series of failure of five matches (3 draws, 2 defeats).
"We were beginning to doubt, we had to stew for victory, it feels good even if it was not a great match, we are staying in the race," said René Girard.
Last week at the 19th Pau (1-1), Abdi had already saved his team by equalizing in the 82nd.
Against Châteauroux, the 27-year-old defender, aligned to five different positions by his coach since the start of the season and who this time was playing on the right-back, scored his 6th goal of the season.
He even became his team's top scorer, now ahead of forwards Gaëtan Laura and Julien Lopez (5 goals each).
“He always sits well and manages to score center-forward goals,” smiles Girard.
He is scoring a lot at the moment, we have to let him do it.
Ali is a generous boy who never calculates.
"
For several weeks, Abdi, who dreams of regaining the Tunisian selection, is certainly the best player of a losing Paris FC team.
To the right, to the left, in front, behind, he shows, in every match, the same determination and energy.
His great physical capacities - during a training course with the selection of Tunisia before the 2018 World Cup he had performed the best tests - allow him to redouble the races forward.
Abdi who comes to the end of his contract in June has also shown that he has a big mind.
This allowed him to overcome a complicated first year at Paris FC and gradually win in the starting eleven while the club had recruited Forent Hanin to his post.
“I never gave up,” he admits.
I hope to continue to score goals for the team.
It’s nice.
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