The Greens find colors. After an interminable series of seven consecutive defeats in Ligue 1, AS Saint-Etienne finally returned to victory, Wednesday January 26, on the lawn of SCO Angers (0-1), on the occasion of the late match counting for the 20th day of the championship. A real event, since it is only the third Saint-Etienne success of the season, after 22 days. And a real reason for hope for the men of Pascal Dupraz, always last, but who come back to four points from Metz, play-off, and five from Bordeaux, the first not to be relegated.
For the way, we will come back, but the Stéphanois don’t care. More than ever for ASSE, the main thing was the three points on the lawn of the Raymond-Kopa stadium in Angers. To get them, Pascal Dupraz had also opted for a cautious 5-2-3, but which proved ambitious in practice. And after a scare from a corner – a header from Traoré saved on the line by Bernardoni – Saint-Etienne took control of events, which is rare this season. Twice, Nordin also believed to pierce the solid Angevin block, in vain (6th, 20th).
And then a twist of fate came to smile at the Stéphanois, worried by Brahimi and Ninga at the end of the first period, but very happy to see Mendy divert a cross from Mason into his own net (43rd). Enough to boost the confidence of the Greens before returning to the locker rooms. Bouanga’s firecracker at the start of the second period maintained this good momentum, and Saint-Etienne mastered a duller second act.
Nordin could have made the break without a good Petkovic (63rd), but the Stéphanois were satisfied with this lucky little goal in a hasty end to the match. Borrowed physically, the men of Dupraz united in front of their goal. And for once: it held. Convalescents, the Greens were not brilliant in Angers, but they were conquerors and victorious. Two adjectives that had disappeared from the dictionary in Forez. What regain hope in the race to maintain.