Brest secured a thrilling 1-0 victory at home over PSV Eindhoven in the Champions League on Tuesday night, with Julien Le Cardinal’s goal and a series of vital saves from goalkeeper Marco Bizot proving to be the difference.
The hosts broke the deadlock just before halftime when Mama Baldé’s acrobatic header, nearly horizontal in mid-air, was deflected off a defender and landed perfectly for Le Cardinal to tap into an empty net.
With 13 points, Brest now sit in fifth place in the Champions League standings, in a strong position to progress to the last 16.
PSV, on the other hand, remain in 21st place with eight points in the playoff section.
Despite being forced to play their European home matches 100 kilometers away in Guingamp due to UEFA stadium regulations, Brest relied on Bizot’s heroics to maintain their lead at the break.
The Dutch goalkeeper made several impressive saves to deny his compatriots from scoring during a first half full of opportunities for PSV.
The second half saw an intense, end-to-end contest, with both sides creating multiple chances.
Bizot and PSV’s goalkeeper, Walter Benítez, were kept on their toes, each making crucial saves.
However, neither team could find a second goal, with Ismael Saibari coming closest for the visitors when he hit the post just before the hour mark.
