Nantes vs La Roche VF

Nantes refused to fold. With three minutes of normal time remaining, Ganago collected the ball on a driving run, broke through the La Roche defence and finished calmly to level the scores. The striker's persistence — he had four attempts in the second half alone — was ultimately rewarded.

Der Zakarian's mass half-time substitution transformed the game. The first XI, featuring five academy graduates and captain Louis Leroux, controlled the first half but created almost nothing clear-cut. The second XI, with experienced figures like Frédéric Guilbert (c), Kelvin Amian, Lucas Perrin and Ganago, raised the tempo immediately and created seven meaningful chances. The equaliser was a product of that sustained pressure, even if the defending on Evora's goal was uncharacteristically soft.

• Ignatius Ganago (Nantes): The match-winner. Four shots after the break, constant movement, and the composure to finish when it mattered most. Player of the match.
• Ruben Evora Moniz (La Roche VF): Took his chance clinically. A rare moment of quality in the final third that nearly earned his side a famous scalp.
• Herba Guirassy (Nantes): The brightest spark in a subdued first half, with both of Nantes' early attempts on goal.
• Alexis Mirbach (Nantes): Played the full 90 minutes and, while seldom tested, could do nothing about Evora's finish.

The official provider data shows no cards were issued, reflecting the friendly nature of the contest. Nantes' second-half xG would have comfortably exceeded the first-half figure, given they created seven chances after the break compared to two before it. La Roche's goal came from their only meaningful attack of the second period — a classic smash-and-grab against a side pushing forward. The overall shot count likely favoured Nantes heavily, but the scoreline accurately reflects a game where the Ligue 1 side dominated territory without ever truly controlling the game.

This was Nantes' third pre-season friendly of the 2026-27 campaign, following a win and a defeat in their opening two outings. The draw against a side from the third tier (Ligue 3) will not alarm Der Zakarian, who used the match to rotate heavily and give academy players valuable minutes. Nantes continue their pre-season schedule on Saturday 25 July against Le Mans FC (Ligue 1) at Stade Rémy-Lambert in Sablé-sur-Sarthe.

For La Roche VF, holding a Ligue 1 opponent to a draw represents a confidence-building result ahead of their own competitive campaign.

A game of two halves in the truest sense. Nantes' first XI lacked cutting edge; their second XI had quality but not enough to avoid falling behind. Ganago's intervention salvaged the result, but Der Zakarian will want more ruthlessness from his side before the season proper begins. The experiment with youth in the first half was instructive — the academy talent is there, but the finishing touch is not yet.