Nant hosted Red Star in the opening round of Ligue 2's regular season on Saturday, losing 0-1 at home. The visitors took all three points thanks to a single goal in the second half, moving to six points from five games while the hosts remained on four after their seventh defeat this season.
The decisive moment came in the 67th minute when K. Cabral found the net. To be fair, Nant had dominated possession with 51 per cent, but their 22 shots yielded only two on target. By then, Red Star had already shown they could hit on the break, and that efficiency proved decisive.
Discipline was an issue for both sides, with six yellow cards in total. T. Tati went off the mark for Nant in the 26th minute, followed by S. E. Khaoui for the visitors 10 minutes later. B. Deuff picked up a booking for the hosts in the 65th minute, while M. Der Zakarian and R. Hachem joined the list for Red Star before C. Konate received the final card in stoppage time.
Coaching changes were notable around the hour mark. Nant brought on M. Cafaro and S. E. Khaoui together in the 58th minute, while D. Tabibou came on for the hosts shortly after in the 63rd. Red Star made three substitutions in total, with I. Halifa and D. Durand among those introduced, but the game had already been decided.
Statistics tell an uneven story. Nant registered 113 attacks and 62 passes into the final third, yet created just two big chances. Red Star managed 106 attacks but produced 10 key passes and three shots on target from 11 attempts. The visitors' 70 passes into the final third against Nant's 62 suggests slightly better penetration despite less overall possession.
The result leaves Red Star in sixth place with eight points from five matches, while Nant sit 16th with just four points after one win, one draw and three defeats. The hosts will need to find a way to convert their territorial advantage into something more meaningful before the next round.