Match Report
On the table this was a mismatch: Niort (3rd, 58 pts) held a 25-point advantage over Épinal (17th, 33 pts). Niort had been under-performing their position — 10th on five-round form against 3rd in the table. Against a league average of 1.27 goals per team per game, Épinal ran at 1.15 scored and 1.5 conceded, Niort at 1.71 and 1.24.
Épinal came in having won three on the spin. Niort were unbeaten in 5.
Stade de la Colombière in Epinal, capacity 7,200, hosted the game. Half-time and full-time told different stories: Niort led 2-0 at the break, before 1 more goal closed it at 0-3.