Montpellier enjoyed an afternoon to remember, scoring three times in the opening 11 minutes for the first time in their top-flight history en route to a 7-0 demolition of Stade Brestois.
As one of the worst-performing sides in Europe’s top-five leagues this calendar year, few held out much hope for Montpellier here. However, an incredible start saw the visitors race into a three-goal lead. Faitout Maouassa kickstarted a sensational chain of events as a swift counter attack ended with the Montpellier wide man slotting home his first goal of the season. A second soon followed for the visitors through Elye Wahi, before Wahbi Khazri rounded off an 11-minute blitz that will be written into Montpellier folklore.
Just as it appeared things couldn’t get much better for Montpellier, they did. Maouassa’s teasing corner caused mayhem in the Brest box, and with keeper Marco Bizot nowhere to be seen, Nicolas Cozza was left with the simplest of tasks to tap into an unguarded net at the far post. Incredibly, a fifth was just around the corner for the visitors. Bizot was again caught in no-man’s-land and when Wahi lifted the ball over his head, the post momentarily came to his rescue, but Maouassa was on hand to unselfishly give the ball back to Wahi to prod home his second of the day.
If any Brest fans thought the second half would bring around a change in fortunes, they would be wrong, as Pierre Lees-Melou was dismissed just five minutes after the break. Montpellier weren’t done at five goals either, adding a sixth when Théo Sainte-Luce’s cross was deftly flicked into the corner by Valère Germain. Montpellier finished the scoring at seven, with Germain adding his second of the contest in what was otherwise a bleak day in the history of Stade Brestois.
