French-born Ghanaian midfielder Edwin Quarshie proved instrumental in Le Mans' comeback victory over Chateauroux in the French National on Friday.
Quarshie, who started the game and played the full 90 minutes, scored the equalizing goal in a match that saw Le Mans ultimately triumph 2-1.
Prior to the game, the head-to-head record between the two teams stood at six wins for Chateauroux, four for Le Mans, and two draws. The first half of the match was challenging for Le Mans, with Chateauroux dominating the early stages. Geoffray Durbant capitalized on a defensive error to head in the opening goal from the first corner in the third minute.
However, a moment of uncertainty in the Chateauroux defense allowed Le Mans to launch their first significant attack. Anthony Ribelin found Quarshie in space, and the midfielder calmly slotted the ball into the net to level the score at 1-1 just before halftime.
In the second half, Le Mans looked more composed and began to win more balls in the Chateauroux half. A turnover at the feet of the central defense by Arnold Vula led to Mehdi Boussaïd curling a stunning shot into the top corner to give Le Mans a 2-1 lead in the 70th minute.
Quarshie, who has made 28 appearances in the league this season, scored his first goal of the campaign in this crucial encounter.