Champions League Recap: Magnetti & Sima fire Brest to historic victory

Stade Brestois 29 set sail on their maiden voyage in the UEFA Champions League against Austrian side Sturm Graz at a roaring Stade Roudourou which welcomed Eric Roy's men along with the iconic orchestral soundtrack of European football's premier competition.

Romain Faivre returned to the starting lineup for Éric Roy's side with Brendan Chardonnet, Soumaïla Coulibaly, and Kenny Lala making up the remaining three changes to the team that faced Paris Saint-Germain last Saturday. Roared on by a proud Breton home crowd, Les Pirates began well in their new-adopted home - stepping onto their Austrian visitors and using Ludovic Ajorque as a clear focal point in the opening periods of play.

Yet all of a sudden the visiting Austrians would have the ball in the back of the net following a counter-attack that saw Seedy Jatta latch upon Chardonnet's poor clearance - but the flag was raised for offside. It came as a warning sign for Roy's side, who up until then were comfortably creating several half-chances from outside the box.

Magnetti's super-strike

Here came the moment that will live long in the memory of Brest fans. Sturm Graz couldn't deal with a long ball, and the header would only go as far as Hugo Magnetti on the edge of the box. The Frenchman controlled with his chest, and then sweetly struck the ball on the half-volley into the bottom right corner to score Brest's first-ever goal in Europe (23'). 

If Brest were looking good for their lead, they would suffer a huge blow as the Austrians would break on the counter-attack once more, William Böving driving into the box and an unlucky Edimilson Fernandes deviated his ball into the back of the net just before half-time (45'). 

Emboldened by their first goal in the competition but wary after conceding just before half-time, Brest came out bullishly from the break, with Ajorque almost flicking a diverted header from Chardonnet into the back of the net. The home side once again cranked up the pressure.

Abdellah Sima is one of the Brest players who has experienced European football before with Slavia Prague and Rangers, and would be the on-loan striker from Brighton that grabbed Brest's breakthrough goal. The 23-year-old showed pure strength in the box to hold off his defender after being served a flicked-on header from Ajorque, and he would let the ball bounce across his body and provide an acrobatic finish as Les Ti'Zefs retook the lead in style (56').

Les Pirates resist Late sturm graz surge

Otar Kiteishvili's deflected shot gave some work for Marco Bizot to do at one end, but Les Pirates would be able to stave off any Austrian counter-attack and had a flurry of chances to go further ahead late on in the game. Sherpen pulled off a brilliant save to deny Kamory Doumbia, before Magnetti was brought down on the edge of the box and Dimitri Lavalée was sent his marching orders with a second yellow (88'). Injury time saw another scramble in front of goal first through Doumbia, and then via Ajorque's low follow-up strike from Jonas Martin's rebound which trickled just wide of the post.

It didn't matter though, as Brest held the ball in the opposite half and waited for the inevitable roar which would accompany a historic win for a side that only two years ago were fighting for their life in Ligue 1. Three points for Brest, and an ideal start to a buccaneering Champions League campaign.

REACTION : Champions league joy for les Pirates

Brest captain, Brendan Chardonnet - "We had to win it! The goal hurt us before half-time, but we managed to pull ourselves together. We're delighted! We gave it all tonight and we deserved it! It's a victory for the whole group and a whole city. It's great to see Brest in the Champions League. Now let's get back to work! We've got a 100% win rate to defend!"

Brest goalscorer,  Hugo Magnetti - "It is a childhood dream to play in this competition, we've done everything so we can enjoy this evening. There was a lot of emotion, there was the music which gave me goosebumps. I tried to stay concentrated and stay in the match. It's a great source of pride to score the first goal for Brest in Europe and the Champions League."

THE STAT - 1st 

Stade Brestois 29 became the first French club to win on their debut match in the UEFA Champions League since Olympique Lyonnais (against Heerenveen) on 12th September 2000.

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