Mahdi Camara scored his first career hat-trick. The Franco-Gambian midfielder thrashed Strasbourg 3-0 in Ligue 1's 23rd matchday on Saturday. It was the penalty he converted for his 3rd goal of the evening that had people talking far more than his overall performance. Firstly, because Strasbourg are contesting the 60th-minute penalty for Perrin's handball.
As far as the Alsatians were concerned, the hand was stuck to the body and the ball had gone out beforehand. But that's not the only story behind the penalty. Eric Roy, Brest's coach, didn't want Camara to take it because he wasn't one of the shooters designated in advance by the technical staff.
"I told Mahdi that he mustn't miss, otherwise he would have heard me. And so did the person who gave him the ball. Because you can make a mistake and get a goal in the process, and the scenario is never the same again. He said to me: "Coach, don't you trust me?" I replied: "Of course I do". Mahdi's shot caught the Strasbourg keeper off guard. Brest are now runners-up to PSG on Sunday morning.
