Friendlies Clubs· Season 2026
Metz came from behind to beat Racing FC Union Luxembourg 2-1 in a pre-season friendly at Amnéville, with Jahyann Pandore and Abdoulaye Agne-Ba scoring in the second half after Diakhité's opener for the visitors.
Match Analysis
AI SummaryHow it unfolded
The match, Metz's fourth pre-season friendly of the summer, was reduced to 2x30-minute periods due to a heatwave that pushed temperatures well above seasonal norms in the Moselle region.
Racing Luxembourg struck first. In the 26th minute, a swift counter-attack down the left flank ended with Diakhité diverting a cross past Metz goalkeeper Ousmane Ba to give the visitors a 1-0 lead heading into the interval.
Metz emerged with renewed purpose after the break. The equaliser arrived in the 43rd minute when 18-year-old midfielder Jahyann Pandore drove into the box and saw his shot deflected by a Racing Luxembourg defender into the net.
Nine minutes later, the turnaround was complete. Abdoulaye Agne-Ba collected the ball 20 yards from goal and unleashed a powerful right-footed drive that nestled inside the near post, giving the hosts a 2-1 lead in the 52nd minute.
Racing nearly levelled late on when Qevani raced through on goal, but Pandore tracked back to disrupt the attacker, allowing Ba to make the save.
The turning point
Pandore's equaliser in the 43rd minute — the first goal Metz had scored against Racing Luxembourg in three meetings — shifted the momentum entirely. Before that goal, the visitors had been comfortable protecting their lead, with Metz's young side struggling to break down a well-organised defence. After it, Racing visibly tired, and Metz seized control of the midfield.
Key performers
Jahyann Pandore (Metz) — The 18-year-old midfielder was involved in both goals, scoring the equaliser and providing the assist for the winner. He also made a crucial tracking run to deny Qevani a late equaliser. Player of the match.
Abdoulaye Agne-Ba (Metz) — Scored the decisive second goal with a powerful strike from 20 yards and was a constant threat on the right flank throughout the second half.
Habib Diallo (Metz) — The captain led the line with experience, forcing two good saves from Racing goalkeeper Amah in the second period and helping organise the young side around him.
Ousmane Ba (Metz) — Made a crucial save in the 37th minute to deny Qevani at 1-0, keeping Metz in the contest before the equaliser.
By the numbers — interpreted
Metz dominated the second period territorially after a flat first half. Local outlet Republicain Lorrain noted that Metz created "no more chances" between the 10th and 26th minutes of the opening period before Racing's opener. After the break, Metz registered five efforts on goal inside the first 10 minutes alone. The shift in momentum was driven by a tactical adjustment: Gauthier Hein dropped deeper into midfield to orchestrate play, freeing Pandore to operate higher behind the forwards.
What it means
This was Metz's second match of a double-header at Amnéville — they had earlier drawn 1-1 with FC Versailles (National) via a Nathan Mbala equaliser. The win over Racing Luxembourg improved Holtz's pre-season record to two wins (Mondorf, Racing Luxembourg), one draw (Versailles) and one loss (Differdange) from four friendlies.
Metz continue their pre-season against RFC Seraing on 17 July at Frescaty, before facing Sochaux (22 July), Fortuna Sittard (25 July) and Kaiserslautern (1 August). They begin their Ligue 2 campaign on 8 August at home to Guingamp.
Racing FC Union Luxembourg — who finished 7th in Luxembourg's BGL Ligue last season — were playing their fourth pre-season friendly under new manager Stéphane Massala.
Verdict
A game of two distinct halves that reflected Metz's experiment with a heavily rotated, youth-led side. The raw talent of Pandore and Agne-Ba stood out, but Holtz will want more coherence from the outset against stronger opponents. The heatwave format made this more a fitness test than a tactical statement, and Metz passed with a second-half response that suggested growing chemistry.
Metz's next friendly: vs RFC Seraing, 17 July 2026 at Frescaty. Racing FC Union Luxembourg's next friendly: TBC.
Rivalry since 2022
Metz vs Racing FC Union Luxembourg Head to Head Results· 3
Metz and Racing FC Union Luxembourg have met 3 times — Metz won 3, Racing FC Union Luxembourg won 0, with 0 draws. Their rivalry dates back to 2022. Metz leads the head-to-head with 3 victories from 3 meetings. A combined 7 goals have been scored across these fixtures, averaging 2.33 per match (7 for the home side, 0 for the visitors). Both teams scored in 0 matches (0%). Over 2.5 goals landed in 1 game (33%), making it a fixture that tends to produce goals. Metz are currently unbeaten in the last 3 meetings. The highest-scoring encounter finished 3–0 in 2023.
Statistics are for informational purposes only. Past performance does not guarantee future results.
API data: 15 Jul 2026