ChristopheVAFC

Hello friends, how are you doing today? - Some news from Valenciennes: First, I’ve shared three press articles covering the week the club has just gone through. There was the aftermath of last Saturday's defeat—a loss that was a real blow to everyone and raised questions and concerns among the fans. Then came the announcement that Salif Lebouath—who arrived this summer—is being loaned out. Not many people understood the move, especially since he’s going to a club in our own league; though, to be fair, he won't play against us in either of our two matches (a clause negotiated as part of the loan). Salif hasn't really had a chance to prove himself; he hasn't played a single minute in the league, even though he did feature in a friendly. Word is that the club is counting on him heavily for his return at the end of the season—we'll have to wait and see... Training seems to have been productive this week, though the match today is what really matters. We’re playing away today at La Roche-sur-Yon, a club that was promoted to Ligue 3 this season and is currently on a good run of form—unlike VA. I’d love to see a win this afternoon, but it won't be easy... Kick-off is at 2:45 PM French time; I think you’ll be able to watch the match on your local streaming sites (unfortunately, almost everything is blocked here)... Have a great day, friends. Allez VA !

In Ligue 3, VA is stalling while the newly promoted sides are charging ahead Valenciennes is languishing at the bottom of the pack, while the three newly promoted teams—La Roche-sur-Yon, Cannes, and Thionville—reign at the top of Ligue 3. This is a near-constant trend in a division that favors teams riding a wave of momentum. But what drives these smaller clubs? Trailing the Norman sides (Rouen, Caen), the promoted teams are hunting in a pack. While Thionville has slowed slightly after a blistering start, La Roche-sur-Yon and Cannes remain unbeaten in a division that is new to all three but holds no fears for them. Pierre Blois is not surprised to see the Vendée-based side—whom VA visits this Saturday—up there at the top. Unbeaten at home since December 2024, they are playing with great consistency and are well-equipped, boasting players like Mansour Samb (already on six goals), Moïse Mahop, Alexis Araujo, and Momar Ndiaye. As is often the case when a team moves up a level, "they’re riding a wave of momentum that they’re keeping alive; they shared a positive experience and are building on it. When things go well early in the season, this is the result." At Aubagne—which he joined in 2024 just as the club was promoted to the National league—Mabrouk Rouaï found a sense of ease: "We didn't overthink things; everyone was having a laugh. But when we stepped onto the pitch, we knew exactly why we were there." "We were confident in our strengths" The squad had changed significantly from the one that secured promotion, yet it was made up of players with a point to prove and a desire to show their worth. "I place a lot of importance on desire," notes Christopher Rocchia, who was also part of that journey. "Everyone expected us to go down; it was a foregone conclusion. But where there’s a will, there’s a way—though, of course, it also comes down to the quality of the players." Maël Zogba points to the "strength of the squad"—something Le Puy relied on last season to bounce back from a start that was far trickier than the one facing the current newly promoted teams. "We hadn't won a game before Matchday 7, but we had kept the core of the team from our N2 season. We were confident in our strengths; we knew what we were capable of." The team from Le Puy finished seventh, having at one point climbed as high as fourth place. "The important thing was making the players understand that the level they had reached was well-deserved." David Le Frapper, former VAFC player and Bourg-en-Bresse coach (2024–2026) The previous season—the one that saw Boulogne-sur-Mer win promotion to Ligue 2—Bourg-en-Bresse was also firing on all cylinders. "We finished fifth and had the best defense," recalls former Valenciennes player David Le Frapper, who took over the team after Hervé Della Maggiore left for Orléans. "The important thing was making the players understand that the level they had reached was well-deserved." It was a resounding success, followed, however, by a disastrous summer in 2025, during which "you lose 90% of the squad. We had to start all over again from scratch; the hardest season is often the one that follows." The Bresse-based side—finishing 15th—narrowly avoided relegation that time around and were ultimately taken over by new owners. David Le Frapper then moved on. VENDÉE FC LA ROCHE vs. VALENCIENNES, Saturday, 2:45 PM.

VAFC: Pierre Blois on Salif Lebouath’s loan – "I couldn't guarantee him playing time" The Valenciennes squad was becoming overcrowded, leaving Salif Lebouath without a guaranteed spot on the right flank. On Friday, Pierre Blois explained the decision to loan the player to Le Puy—a move that has raised questions since it was first announced. Having missed the squad for matches against Bourg-en-Bresse, Rouen, and Fleury, and having seen only limited action (nine minutes at Caen, twelve against Concarneau) since the season began, Salif Lebouath looked elsewhere—specifically to Le Puy, where he has been loaned—to find better opportunities. The move has drawn attention, given that VAFC had signed the player to a two-year contract just this past spring after recruiting him from Pau (Ligue 2). On Friday, ahead of the away match against La Roche-sur-Yon in Ligue 3, Pierre Blois elaborated on the decision, going beyond the club's brief press release, which had offered no details on the reasoning behind the move. "The goal is for him to come back stronger" The coach has absolutely no complaints about the player: "Salif is a great person; the squad and the staff really like him." He simply "couldn't guarantee him playing time" and didn't want to hold him back. "We have a squad of twenty-six players, which makes organizing training sessions complicated. Salif belongs to us; we need to develop him, and this opportunity came up. The goal is for him to return stronger and more mature, and to become a key part of the team later on"—with the understanding that the loan to Le Puy does not include an option to buy. Pierre Blois does not view the 24-year-old Haute-Garonne native as a right-back—a position where Derrick Abu has established himself as the first-choice option and where Dany Goprou is more than just a stopgap solution. Further up the flank? "We have Kader Diomandé back from injury, and Zaïd (Amir), who performed quite well when he played. We also have Dayann (Linyon) from the academy, and young Christ Zohoré. Simply put, that’s a lot of players." Even so, the situation remains difficult to decipher in terms of sporting policy and the direction VAFC intends to take. Vendée FC La Roche vs. Valenciennes, Saturday, 2:45 PM. Broadcast live on Ligue 1+.

Good evening, everyone. Reflecting on today's match: I don't think there's much to add to what the press articles above have already said. We were well-positioned to win this game, but we lost it—entirely of our own doing... It hasn't been the start to the season we hoped for; we need to turn things around quickly and get back to a winning streak... Have a great night, everyone. Allez VA !

Valenciennes vs. Fleury: disaster strikes for Dany Goprou—"and to top it off, it hits the post..." The Valenciennes defender played an unfortunate starring role in his team's 1–2 defeat to Fleury, scoring an own goal late in the match after squandering a golden opportunity and failing to react quickly enough to the opening goal conceded. He clutched his head in his hands and sank to his knees on the Hainaut pitch, as if the weight of what had just happened was suddenly too heavy to bear. In the space of a few minutes—and the two goals scored by Fleury (75th and 82nd minutes)—Dany Goprou experienced the full cruelty of which football is sometimes capable; the former Rouen player, who arrived in the North this summer, was truly dealt a harsh blow. Yet his afternoon had started well: following up on his excellent performance at Rouen (1–1), Goprou was making his second consecutive start in central defense alongside Bryan Passi, while Maël Zogba played a position further up the pitch. The setup had proven effective in Normandy, and there was no reason to change it—at least not before halftime—after a first half well-managed by the Valenciennes defense. Then, Derrick Abu—described as "sick" by his coach, and having narrowly escaped a red card for a reckless tackle—stayed in the dressing room. Involved in both Fleury goals The versatile Dany Goprou consequently shifted to the right flank. He even came close to scoring—or rather, doubling the lead—connecting with a cross from Luka Boiteau, only to hit a shot that was far too scuffed (60th minute). After a great missed opportunity—and there would be others in which he wasn't involved—and with his defensive line dropping deeper and deeper, the clouds soon began to gather over his head. It started with a fairly innocuous cross from Fleury on the left: Goprou was slow to react at the far post, and Verdier nipped in ahead of him to equalize. The nightmare continued just over five minutes later: a similar cross came in, and this time Goprou—having learned his lesson—got to the ball first. However, he botched the clearance so badly that he scored an own goal of textbook perfection, bringing a world of misery down upon himself. "And to top it off, it hit the post when he was actually trying to defend well," a dumbfounded Samir Belloumou remarked. But sometimes, it just isn't your day...

"The worst-case scenario imaginable": an own goal, a missed penalty, and a team that stopped playing—only to pay the price. After a well-played first half that saw them take the lead, VA tempted fate by sitting too deep against Fleury—who were all too happy to turn the match around (1-2). With three losses in six games, Valenciennes now sits 15th in Ligue 3. A last-minute equalizer penalty sent against the crossbar by Rayane Ekra—following, yet again, interminable minutes of video review—a stunning bicycle kick immediately afterwards from Mabrouk Rouaï that was saved by the opposing keeper, a flurry of red cards for Fleury, and a stadium rumbling first with delight and then with frustration... One could write a whole novel about the final moments of this VA-Fleury clash, as they ran the full gamut of emotions football sometimes offers—including the cruelest ones. "We tried too hard to protect that 1-0 lead, perhaps because we’re lacking a bit of confidence." – Samir Belloumou Yet, the chaotic spectacle and emotional rollercoaster that defined the match's conclusion cannot overshadow the way Pierre Blois’s players let a "pivotal" early-season game slip away. It was the kind of match that can launch a team in the right direction—or leave them tearing their hair out in frustration. The Valenciennes squad is left dealing with the latter—the headache-inducing outcome—after a second half that stood in stark contrast to the first. "We tried too hard to protect that 1-0 lead, perhaps because we’re lacking a bit of confidence," explains captain Samir Belloumou. Sometimes, there isn't much to say... Sitting back too much... VA had been leading since Mabrouk Rouaï’s fine opening goal (23rd minute) and enjoyed loud support from fans—rightly pleased with the spirited performance the team put on before the break. On paper, all the ingredients for a win were there, but by ceasing to play, squandering golden opportunities (Goprou 60th, Boiteau 67th), and sitting too deep, VA fell apart. They suffered the exact outcome that had been looming—a real kick in the teeth—when Dany Goprou turned an innocuous cross into his own net (1-2, 82nd minute). A missed penalty and an own goal: "It’s the worst-case scenario imaginable," lamented Pierre Blois. That is often the price you pay when you stop playing. VALENCIENNES – FLEURY: 1-2 (1-0) 4,539 spectators Goals: Rouaï (23rd) for Valenciennes; Verdier (78th), Goprou (82nd, own goal) Bookings: Karamoko (Fleury, 22nd, 90th); Maréchal (Valenciennes, 28th), Abu (Valenciennes, 38th) Sending-off: Karamoko (Fleury, 90th) VAFC: Louchet; Abu (Boiteau 45th), Passi (capt.), Goprou, Wahib (Belloumou 70th); Rouaï, Zogba, Maréchal (Courtet 85th); Amir (Diomande 60th), Abi (Ndiaye 85th), Ekra. Coach: Pierre Blois FLEURY: Alette; Cisse (Anne 69th), Colombo, Karamoko, Jean-Pierre; Le Méhauté (Khetir 69th), Lelevé, Lefebvre, Verdier (Badin 85th); Rivas, Lavigne (Homsa 69th). Etr: Maxime D’Ornano

Ligue 3 : après Issa Tounkara, Christ Zohoré à partir de janvier, le VAFC cible le continent africain - La Voix du Nord

FULL TIME STATISTICS

IS THE WIN !! Congrats Saint's Friends !!

Great picture

Scienza Do Brazil !!!

And 3 !

HALF TIME STATISTICS

The break !!

Club resume match Showing grit in the face of injustice, VA secures a hard-fought point at Rouen Whether in the Coupe de France or the league, things—good or bad—always seem to happen for VA when they visit Rouen. But what unfolded this Thursday evening in Normandy went beyond the ordinary. VA had to overcome the unthinkable to secure their first away point of the season (1–1). Regardless of the outcome, the 44th minute of the match will go down in Ligue 3 history. Just after a highly questionable penalty was awarded against VAFC, the referee went to check it via VAR—or FVS, as it is known in Ligue 3 this season. The problem? The referee’s monitor wasn't working. The reason? A cable had been unplugged moments earlier. Intentional or not, the penalty couldn't be reviewed; the referee stuck with his initial decision, and Rouen opened the scoring just before halftime—at which point, miraculously, the VAR system started working again. It was a cruel twist of fate following a first half where VA had withstood heavy pressure from Rouen before finally cracking due to an unverified penalty. Rayane Ekra equalizes It was enough to make one want to bang their head against the wall and scream about a curse. But instead of wallowing, the *Rouge et Blanc* returned from the dressing room with renewed purpose. They managed to level the score in the 67th minute thanks to Rayane Ekra’s third goal of the season, set up by Amir. Shortly after, Amir could have put VA ahead, but Rouen dominated the closing stages, forcing goalkeeper Louchet to pull off a crucial save (85th minute) to avert disaster. Ultimately, this hard-earned draw is a welcome result for the Valenciennes squad, who will now hope to build on this away point when they face Fleury at the Stade du Hainaut on Saturday, September 12.