(Ligue 1 2023/2024): Highlights BRESTOIS - FC METZ

This season's surprise package press continued their charge towards an unprecedented Champions League spot when they hosted Metz in Sunday's lunchtime kick-off. The hosts entered the weekend in second, having returned to winning ways after two weeks without one. 1-0 away at 16th-placed Lorient. Next up, 17th-placed Metz, now in grave danger of an instant return back to the second tier. After a ray of hope with back-to-back wins, back-to-back losses have brought them crashing back down to earth. Their downfall in recent weeks has been the early goals they've let in, but today it will be they who profited from a quick first strike. Lamine Kamara finding the left foot of Ismael Traore with a corner, guided the ball past Marco Bizotte in just the sixth minute. The strugglers would not hold out for long. Just five minutes later, they failed to clear a breast corner, allowing Brendan Chardonnay to beat Alexandre Ukija to the loose ball and fire home high into the net. Not the fifth goal inside the opening 16 minutes that Metz have conceded in the last four matches. Soon enough, the turnaround was complete. On the half-hour mark, a deep cross, knocked back across goal by Román del Castillo and Kamury Dumbia applying the finishing touch this time. Metz at sixes and sevens to borrow a cliché at the back and two would soon become three. Martin Cetriano getting to the byline, chipping across into the middle of the box where Steve Meunier was waiting to head in his fourth of the campaign seven minutes later. So a painful end to a half that started so promisingly for Ligurinac. The Lazlo-Berlinese side still had their backs to the wall and came back out for the second half. Initially held out under constant pressure, but by the time the game reached the hour mark, Paul defending at a corner would once again be their undoing. Cetriano this time unmarked at the near post and more than happy to make it four. A goal and an assist for the Uruguayan who started life in France so promisingly before hitting a barren spell. Now perhaps refining his shooting boots, having also scored against Lille two games earlier. The sixth goal of a very open game could easily have gone either way, but it was Metz's hard-working George Mikhail Tadze who produced it, running on to Arta Ata's through ball and slotting under Bizotte to make it 4-2 with a quarter of an hour to go. That was not to be a mere consolation for Metz who just five minutes later were back within one. A sloppy pass in a dangerous area intercepted by Sheikhtabali and after his effort was saved by Bizotte Mikhail Tadze on hand to tuck home the rebound. Now up to seven goals in 14 appearances since rejoining Metz on loan to add to his 23 and 37 in the second tier last season. Despite the late scare, Brest would hang on though and stay on course for the highest league finish in the club's history after a treasure trove of goals for the Pirates. Metz are now winless in four and one point further from safety.