In a contest that left much to be desired from the French champions elect, Strasbourg fell to a solitary goal defeat at the hands of Rayo Vallecano in...
In a contest that left much to be desired from the French champions elect, Strasbourg fell to a solitary goal defeat at the hands of Rayo Vallecano in the first leg of their UEFA Conference League semi final tie away in Spain. The powers that be at the Stade de la Meinau will now be praying for a miraculous turnaround when the return leg comes calling next Thursday, as their squad failed to give a good account of themselves on the night. The only goal of the match arrived early in the second half when Rayo. �s forward outpaced the Strasbourg defence to slot home past the outstretched gloves of the visiting goalkeeper. For long stretches, the Ligue 1 side appeared below their usual standard, struggling to string together coherent passes in the final third and lacking the clinical edge that has defined their domestic campaign this season. In the scheme of things, the single goal deficit is a narrow one, but Strasbourg must now show far greater resilience and creativity if they are to overturn the tie on home soil. Though no Nigerian international featured prominently in this encounter, the Super Eagles faithful will be watching the second leg with keen interest given that one of the tournament. �s dark horses could yet face a Nigerian laden side in the final. The French club, who have enjoyed the lion. �s share of possession in their domestic matches, found themselves frustrated by a disciplined Rayo defence that refused to yield an inch of space on the pitch. At the end of the day, Strasbourg remain alive in the competition, but they will need to dig deep into their reserves of character to avoid an early exit from the Conference League. Back home in Lagos, fans gathered at viewing centres across Surulere and Ikeja were left shaking their heads in disbelief as the final whistle confirmed the defeat. Many had hoped the French side would bring back a draw to set up a thrilling return leg, but instead they were left to console one another with cold bottles of malt and spirited debates about what must change. In Abuja, supporters at the popular Wuse Zone 4 viewing centre were heard grumbling about the lack of urgency from the Strasbourg midfield while some insisted that the team still has the quality to overcome the deficit on home turf. The tension will be palpable when the second leg kicks off next week, and fans across Nigeria will be glued to their screens, hoping for a dramatic turnaround that keeps the Nigerian interest alive in the tournament.
