Kanga brace leaves Strasbourg stunned

RC Strasbourg Alsace  1 – 2  Angers SCO

THE MATCH

Angers went to the Stade de la Meinau looking to make it back-to-back wins for the first time since September, but this was a huge test of their credentials against a Strasbourg side who had won eight of their previous nine matches, penalty shoot-outs included.

The one exception in that run for Thierry Laurey’s team had been a Coupe de France loss at Paris Saint-Germain, but they could not turn their first-half domination into goals and found themselves trailing at the interval.

Angers were weakened by the absences of Pierrick Capelle and Flavien Tait, and yet they took the lead 10 minutes before the break. Abdoulaye Bamba hooked the ball back over his head for Kanga to score from six yards and open his top-flight account.

Kanga was at it again not long after the restart as he controlled a pass from Cheikh Ndoye and rolled a finish across Matz Sels and into the far corner (55′).

Prcic consolation

Coupe de la Ligue finalists Strasbourg set up a grandstand finale as they pulled a goal back three minutes from the end, Kenny Lala’s free-kick being swept home through a crowd of bodies in the box by Sanjin Prcic.

The Bosnian, a recent loan signing from Levante in Spain, marked his league debut for Strasbourg with a goal, but Angers held on for a win that lifts them further clear of trouble. For the hosts, this was a chance missed to really establish themselves as European contenders.

THE PLAYER: Wilfried Kanga

The 20-year-old had an evening to remember as he scored his first two goals on his 20th appearance in Ligue 1 Conforama. On the books at Paris Saint-Germain as a youth, he had played just 20 minutes of top-flight football in the previous four months but seized his chance here.

THE STAT: 8

This was a first win in eight away league games for Angers, since their 1-0 win at AS Monaco in late September.

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