Koné strikes twice as Troyes brush aside Grenoble in friendly

Troyes made a statement in their pre-season preparations with a comprehensive home victory over Grenoble Foot 38. The hosts controlled proceedings from the outset and established their dominance early, creating a lively atmosphere at their stadium as they looked to build momentum ahead of the new season.

The breakthrough arrived in the 14th minute when Youssouf Koné opened the scoring for Troyes. Three minutes later, the home side doubled their advantage through Mehdi Ifnaoui, who found the back of the net to leave Grenoble already struggling to get back into the contest. Koné struck again in the 26th minute to secure a commanding three-goal lead that effectively settled the affair long before half-time.

Grenoble offered little resistance throughout the match and failed to trouble Troyes' goalkeeper with any meaningful opportunities. The away side's defence was repeatedly caught out by the home team's fluid attacking play, and they lacked the creativity to mount any sort of comeback. Troyes controlled the tempo at will and could have extended their advantage further had they been more clinical in front of goal.

The emphatic 3-0 victory will provide Troyes with genuine confidence heading into the competitive action ahead. This was a professional display against a struggling opponent, though the hosts will know tougher tests await as they prepare for the campaign proper. For Grenoble, the defeat underlines plenty of work needed before their own season begins.