Late Drama at Stade Paul-Lignon: Baldé’s 86th-Minute Equalizer Salvages Spirited 2-2 Draw for Rodez Against Reims
Friday nights in Ligue 2 rarely lack for suspense, but few could have predicted the storm of emotions that swept through Stade Paul-Lignon as Rodez and Reims, two clubs locked in the league’s crowded midsection, conjured a four-goal thriller that may resonate well beyond October.
In a match that veered between control and chaos, it was ultimately Ibrahima Baldé’s 86th-minute goal—struck just when Reims seemed poised to escape with all three points—that rescued a draw for the hosts, preserving both Rodez’s resilience and a sense of uneasy equilibrium within the table.
For Rodez, sitting in eighth place with tonight’s result, the outcome marks yet another episode in a season defined by fine margins and late reversals. For Reims, who arrived perched three spots higher, the shared spoils are a reminder that navigating Ligue 2’s minefield is a test of nerve as much as skill.
It took only 20 minutes for the hosts to ignite the home crowd. Octave Joly, with an opportunist’s anticipation, latched onto a loose ball in the box and lashed it past the Reims keeper, sending a ripple of belief through a team that has, in recent weeks, lurched from frustration to jubilation and back.
Possession ebbed and flowed, with Rodez pressing assertively before Reims, true to form, worked themselves steadily into the contest. Keito Nakamura, whose scoring touch has flickered throughout the autumn, struck gold again on the stroke of halftime. With second-half stoppage looming, the Japanese attacker found space outside the area and guided a curling effort low into the corner. The equalizer was a sledgehammer to Rodez’s momentum, a reminder of how quickly fortunes turn at this level.
After the break, Reims seized the initiative. Ange Tia, a forward who so often lurks on the periphery before pouncing, did exactly that in the 54th minute. Capitalizing on hesitant defending, Tia’s crisp drive put the visitors ahead, and for a long quarter hour, the match tilted in Reims’ favor. Recent form suggested Reims might finally string together consecutive wins—a feat that remained tantalizingly out of reach in their past five outings, with only two victories and as many defeats.
But if Rodez’s recent results—draws, narrow losses, snatched wins—have revealed a team sometimes haunted by late lapses, they have also showcased a capacity for defiance. With the clock bleeding into its final minutes, Rodez pressed forward in desperate search of a breakthrough. It came when Baldé, unmarked at the near post, met a whipped cross with a forceful header. The stands erupted. In a season shaped by such moments—his game-winner at Bastia still fresh in supporters’ minds—Baldé delivered again, not for glory this time but for survival.
There would be no red cards or controversial officiating to color the narrative tonight. Instead, the story unfolded as a relentless back-and-forth, each side probing for an advantage, each set of supporters oscillating between hope and angst. The 2-2 draw is the fifth such result in the last decade between these sides, a testament to the competitive parity that defines their sporadic meetings.
In the broader context of Ligue 2’s turbulent campaign, tonight’s tie nudges Reims, now on 14 points, to fifth—a position that flatters without reassuring. They have shown flashes of attacking promise, not least in their four-goal dismantling of Clermont Foot last month, but defensive frailties linger: 12 goals conceded across their last five indicates a system still seeking balance.
For Rodez, now at 12 points from nine games, the pattern is clear. Victories have come in hard-fought away fixtures; home performances remain a work in progress, dogged by an inability to close out matches. The next month presents a daunting gantlet of fixtures that will demand further late heroics—but also a measure of control.
As the final whistle sounded, players from both sides lingered, some on their haunches, others exchanging weary handshakes. For Reims, the frustration of spilled points will linger—a feeling made sharper by the knowledge of what might have been. For Rodez, relief is tempered by the realization that progress remains incremental, every point hard-earned, every mistake costly.
With autumn’s chill settling over Paul-Lignon, both teams depart with their ambitions in check, their weaknesses exposed, and the league’s relentless parity underscored. The real reckoning, for all, lies ahead.