Rodez passe devant Cannes dans une ambiance amicale à sens unique

Rodez came into this pre-season encounter with clear attacking intent, and they wasted little time in making that ambition count. The home crowd sensed early that their side had the measure of their guests, and the atmosphere built steadily as Cannes struggled to find their rhythm in the opening stages. When Danilo Pavlović broke the deadlock in the 23rd minute, it felt like the natural culmination of Rodez's bright start rather than any surprise.

The visitors offered little resistance as the first half progressed, and Rodez extended their lead through Mustapha Touho just before the interval with a clinical finish on 41 minutes. Cannes needed a response after the restart, and they got one when Mathieu Blanc pulled a goal back in the 55th minute to make it 2-1. That goal briefly lifted the away side, but Rodez quickly reasserted their dominance. Mamadou Baaloudj restored the home side's two-goal cushion seven minutes after Blanc's effort, effectively ending any notion of a Cannes comeback.

The match had effectively been decided by that point, though Rodez continued to press forward with authority. Their front line moved the ball with purpose and created openings with ease as Cannes's defence grew increasingly stretched. Jean-Luc Etoughe Allan added the fourth goal in the 76th minute, sealing what turned out to be a comfortable afternoon for the home team.

This was precisely the kind of performance Rodez would have wanted in their preparations for the new season. They moved the ball efficiently, took their chances, and never relented, suggesting their attack has genuine teeth. Cannes, by contrast, will need to show considerably more resilience when their competitive campaign begins.