For his return to the bench of Saint-Etienne, Julien Sablé could not work a miracle, Friday December 11 against Reims, on the occasion of the 18th day of Ligue 1. Reduced to ten just before the break, the Greens logically lost 2-0 at the Auguste-Delaune stadium, their fourth consecutive defeat in the league. The Stéphanois remain red lantern while the Champenois breathe a little and make the hole on their opponents for maintenance (14th to eight points from Clermont, first relegation), before the Sunday meetings.
> Relive the victory in Reims against Saint-Etienne
The hour of redemption has not yet struck for Saint-Etienne. After the slap received last week at home against Rennes (0-5), the Greens have never seemed able to avoid their tenth defeat this season against Reims. Under pressure from the start of the match, Julien Sablé’s men have long seemed paralyzed in the game, too timid offensively to hope for anything. Proof in support, the first “attempt” from Saint-Etienne – a timid shot from Wahbi Khazri – will take place after the 26th minute. One of the few in a first period dominated head and shoulders by Reims.
In the 10th minute, the man in form on the Champagne side (seven goals including two in his last two appearances) Hugo Ekitike sent a first shiver down the back of the Greens’ defense. Twelve minutes later, it was again he who was in a good position and obtained a logical penalty for a missed exit by Etienne Green. Al Bilal Touré is responsible for transforming the offering to give the advantage to the locals (1-0, 22nd). And while the Greens are starting to want to move forward and point the tip of their noses into the area of Predrag Rajkovic, they are penalized by one of their executives, Denis Bouanga, author of a gesture of nervousness towards Ilan Kebbal who earned him a red card (45th). A real blow just before returning to the locker room …
At the start of the second period, Al Bilal Touré was still on the verge of scoring one of the goals of the season by deflecting with a heel an excellent center from Ghislain Konan who was very close to lobing Stefan Bajic, who replaced Green at the break in the Stéphanois goals (48th). After the hour of play, the same two men combine again and on a perfect cross from the Ivorian, the Malian misses the goal of the break by crossing his head too much (63rd). The last minutes will only be an attack-defense. Nathanaël Mbuku, well served by Ekitike, comes to adjust Bajic with a flat left foot to put an end to the suspense (2-0, 89th).
The essential was elsewhere: after the defeat against Angers last week (1-2), Oscar Garcia’s men are rebounding and will try to capitalize on their recent good results against Monaco (0-0), Strasbourg (1- 1), Clermont (1-0) and Olympique Lyonnais (1-2) to extricate themselves from the red zone. This Saturday, they have eight lengths over Clermont, the first non-relegation.
For Sainté on the other hand, this fourth defeat in a row – the 10th in 18 days – plunges the Forez club a little more into the crisis. Reaction expected at home against Nantes on December 22. Hoping, a little in advance, for a Christmas miracle …