VILLEFRANCHE-SUR-SAÔNE, France (Interstat) — VF Beaujolais edged Rouen 2-1 in a tightly contested National 1 match on Friday, securing a winning start to its domestic campaign at Stade Armand Chouffet.

The home side, playing in the third tier of French football, overcame an early deficit with a goal in each half to claim all three points. The result defied the pregame projection from Interstat, whose game simulator had forecast a 1-1 draw and gave Beaujolais only a slight 50.6 percent probability of victory.

Rouen struck first, capitalizing on early momentum in the 13th minute. Mourad Louzif found the net to give the visiting side the lead, silencing the home supporters. The goal came just three minutes after Rouen’s Idrissa Seydi was shown the first yellow card of the match for an earlier infraction.

Beaujolais responded with sustained pressure and found its equalizer 20 minutes later. Formose Mendy scored in the 33rd minute, leveling the match at 1-1 and shifting the momentum firmly in favor of the hosts. The first half saw two more cautions, with Rouen’s Mustapha Benzia booked in the 23rd minute and Beaujolais’ Alan Kerouedan receiving a yellow in first-half stoppage time.

The decisive moment arrived in the 67th minute. Idrissa Seydi, who had been cautioned earlier, redeemed himself for Beaujolais by scoring the go-ahead goal, completing the turnaround for the home team. The goal proved to be the winner, though the match grew increasingly tense in the final stages.

The second half featured two more yellow cards as Rouen pushed for another equalizer. Sérigné Faye of Rouen was booked in the 74th minute, and teammate Cyril Etoga received a caution in the first minute of second-half stoppage time. Despite the late pressure, the Beaujolais defense held firm to preserve the narrow advantage.

With the victory, VF Beaujolais opens its National 1 season with a perfect record of one win and no losses. The club’s overall record across all competitions also stands at one win and no losses. Rouen, meanwhile, sees its early-season record in the league balanced at one win and one loss, mirroring its overall record.

The match was the only fixture for Rouen listed on its immediate schedule, with a previously noted game against Valenciennes also dated for Friday, April 3, 2026, suggesting a scheduling anomaly or correction. Beaujolais will look to build on this momentum in its next outing, while Rouen aims to return to winning form.