Caen vs Laval

El Khoumisti's penalty in the 80th minute proved decisive. The new signing from Concarneau, who joined Caen earlier in the week, had barely touched the ball in a Caen shirt before stepping up to score from 12 yards. The goal came just four minutes after he entered the match as a substitute, and it swung momentum firmly back in Caen's favour after Laval had briefly threatened.

Armand Gnanduillet — The Ivorian striker was a constant threat, scoring the equaliser from a corner and generally occupying Laval's defence throughout. His physical presence was a key outlet for Caen's build-up play. Player of the match.

Fahd El Khoumisti — The new signing made an instant impact, scoring his first Caen goal from the penalty spot within minutes of coming off the bench. His movement and link-up play in the final 15 minutes gave Caen a fresh attacking dimension.

Yanis Court — The 17-year-old Laval midfielder produced the best goal of the match, a stunning half-volley into the top corner from a free-kick that briefly restored parity.

Caen's four-goal haul was built on set-piece and transition efficiency. The equaliser came from a corner — a clear training-ground pattern — and the winner arrived from a penalty won on the counter. Laval's 2.36 average goals per match in this fixture (26 goals in 11 meetings) held true, with the 4-2 scoreline taking the fixture's total to 30 goals.

Caen's defensive patchwork — forced to field midfielders in central defence and a makeshift right-back due to injuries — was exposed for Maggiotti's opener but held firm after the break. Clichy's side made only five substitutions compared to Laval's nine, suggesting greater continuity in the second half.

The win is Caen's second of pre-season after a 4-3 defeat to Paris 13 Atletico on 15 July. Gaël Clichy's side are preparing for the 2026-27 Ligue 3 season, having been relegated from Ligue 2 in 2024-25. Laval, who compete in Ligue 2, fielded nine second-half substitutes as they rotated heavily.

Post-match, Clichy told actu.fr: "What we're looking for is statistics. We want runs, we want volume. That's how we prepare. The preparation is about delivering messages and taking minutes. Nothing more." He added: "I'm really satisfied with the performance of the players."

Caen's next pre-season fixture is scheduled for the week commencing 20 July. Laval continue their preparations for the Ligue 2 campaign.

A productive workout for Caen, who showed resilience in coming from behind and the clinical edge that had been missing in their previous friendly. The attacking quartet of Gnanduillet, Hafid, El Khoumisti and Botella caused consistent problems. Laval's young side showed flashes of quality — particularly through Court's equaliser — but their wholesale second-half changes disrupted any rhythm.