At Stade Francis-Le Blé on Sunday in Ligue 1’s 19th round, Toulouse produced a clinical first-half performance to beat Stade Brestois 29, 2–0, and consolidate their top-half position. Goals from P. Demba and Y. Gboho before the interval gave Carles Martinez’s side a cushion they never really looked like surrendering, despite Brest seeing more of the ball. The result leaves Eric Roy’s team stuck in mid-table with a negative goal difference, while Toulouse continue to build momentum in the chase for European spots.
First half: Toulouse punish Brest’s loose moments
The pattern of the opening stages was cagey, but Brest’s frustration surfaced early. Ludovic Ajorque went into referee Guillaume Paradis’s book on 15' for a foul, an early sign of the home side’s difficulties in imposing themselves with control rather than aggression.
Toulouse struck first on 27'. From open play, P. Demba finished to put the visitors 1–0 up, capitalising on a move in which defender M. McKenzie provided the assist. That contribution from the back underlined Toulouse’s comfort in stepping out from their 3-4-2-1 base.
As Brest tried to respond, they were hit again just before the interval. On 43', Demba turned provider, setting up Y. Gboho to make it 2–0. With Brest unable to find a route back before half-time, the visitors went into the break with a commanding scoreline, despite the home side’s share of possession not yet translating into decisive chances.
Second half: Roy’s changes, Martinez’s control
Eric Roy reacted immediately at the restart. At 46', midfielder L. Tousart made way for forward P. Mboup, a clear attacking shift within Brest’s 4-2-2-2, sacrificing some midfield structure in search of more penalty-box presence.
The hosts’ aggression remained high. Left-back Daouda Guindo collected a yellow card on 54' for a foul, Brest’s second booking of the afternoon. Toulouse, meanwhile, managed the game with a blend of compactness and tactical fouling when required. On 56', goalscorer Yann Gboho was shown a yellow card for a foul, a reminder that Toulouse were not afraid to break up Brest’s rhythm.
Roy doubled down on fresh legs in midfield on 73', withdrawing H. Magnetti for J. Dina Ebimbe. The substitution aimed to inject more dynamism between the lines, but Toulouse’s back three and double pivot held firm.
Carles Martinez turned to his bench on 80', replacing forward S. Hidalgo with J. Vignolo to refresh the front line’s pressing and running channels. Three minutes later, defender Mark McKenzie was booked for handball on 83', briefly offering Brest a promising dead-ball situation that they failed to exploit.
Roy’s final roll of the dice came on 83', with forward R. Labeau Lascary going off and midfielder H. Makalou coming on, a slightly more balanced tweak after his earlier attacking gamble. Toulouse continued to manage the clock smartly; Charlie Cresswell’s yellow card for time wasting at 90+2' typified their game state management. In the final minute of normal time, Martinez also replaced the influential P. Demba with A. Vossah on 90', protecting legs and consolidating the result.
Statistical deep dive: Brest’s sterile control, Toulouse’s precision
Over 90 minutes, Brest controlled 55% of the ball, completing 498 passes to Toulouse’s 425. Both sides posted an identical 80% pass accuracy, but Toulouse were more purposeful with their possession, turning fewer phases into clearer chances.
The shot profile tells a similar story. Brest attempted 13 total shots to Toulouse’s 8, yet both sides finished with 5 shots on target. The expected goals (xG) underline Brest’s frustration: the hosts generated 0.99 xG without scoring, while Toulouse needed only 0.37 xG to find the net twice, a testament to their ruthlessness in the key moments and Brest’s lack of cutting edge in the box.
Discipline was evenly matched, each side committing 16 fouls. Brest received 2 yellow cards, Toulouse 3, reflecting a competitive but not overly chaotic contest. Goalkeeper saves were close as well: G. Coudert made 3 stops for Brest, while G. Restes produced 4 for Toulouse, backing up a defensive display that protected the visitors’ early advantage.
Standings and implications
For Brest, the defeat leaves them 12th in Ligue 1 on 22 points after 19 matches, with a goal difference of -7 (24 scored, 31 conceded). Their mixed recent form (LLWLW coming into this round) and negative differential underline a side hovering in mid-table, closer to looking over their shoulder than pushing upward.
Toulouse, by contrast, strengthen their position in 8th with 29 points and a healthy +8 goal difference (31 for, 23 against). With an away record now reading 4 wins, 2 draws and 3 defeats, and form of WWLWW, Martinez’s team look like credible contenders to edge into the European conversation if they can maintain this balance of defensive solidity and attacking efficiency.
