AUBAGNE, France (Interstat) — FC Sochaux-Montbeliard delivered a commanding and surprising road performance Friday afternoon, dismantling Aubagne 4-1 at Stade de Lattre de Tassigny in a National 1 match that defied pregame projections.

Entering the contest, statistical models heavily favored the home side. Interstat’s ELO system gave Aubagne a 65.10 percent probability of victory, and its game simulator had projected a 1-1 draw. Sochaux-Montbeliard rendered those forecasts irrelevant with a clinical second-half display.

The visitors struck first in the 20th minute. Defender Kassim M’Dahoma, who would be a persistent creative force, provided the assist for substitute Aymen Boutoutaou to open the scoring. Aubagne managed to stabilize the match and found an equalizer before halftime, with Nohim Chibani netting in the 69th minute to briefly level the score at 1-1.

The response from Sochaux-Montbeliard was swift and decisive. Just 14 minutes after conceding, they retook the lead for good. Honoré Bayanginisa scored in the 83rd minute to make it 2-1, and the match then unraveled completely for Aubagne. A mere two minutes later, Aboubacar Sidibé extended the lead to 3-1 in the 85th minute, effectively sealing the result.

Substitute Samy Baghdadi then put an emphatic exclamation point on the victory, scoring in the 90th minute to complete the 4-1 rout. Baghdadi’s goal, assisted by fellow substitute Benjamin Gomel, capped a dominant final stretch for the visitors.

The match was not without its disciplinary moments. Sochaux’s Gomel received a yellow card in the 44th minute, and M’Dahoma was booked in the 49th minute. These were minor blemishes on an otherwise comprehensive team performance.

The result immediately reshapes the early season narrative in France’s third division. Sochaux-Montbeliard begins its National 1 campaign with a statement victory, moving its record to 1-0-0 in the competition and across all competitions this season. For Aubagne, the heavy defeat at home in front of its supporters marks a disappointing start, as the club falls to 0-1-0 in both National 1 and overall.

Key to the victory was Sochaux-Montbeliard’s impactful use of substitutes, with Boutoutaou and Baghdadi each contributing a goal off the bench. The defensive contribution from M’Dahoma, who recorded two assists, was also pivotal in building the attack from the back.

The lopsided scoreline will raise questions about Aubagne’s defensive solidity after conceding three goals in a frantic seven-minute span late in the match. For Sochaux-Montbeliard, the performance signals a potent attack and an ability to capitalize on momentum shifts, assets they will look to carry forward as the season progresses.