“Thierno Ballo opens the scoring after Saint-Étienne pile on the pressure with back-to-back missed shots and a corner”
Pivotal“Augustine Boakye doubles the lead after a Loni Quenabio header was saved from a corner”
Pivotal“Ian Cathro booked twice in the space of a minute for unsportsmanlike conduct and then dissent, capping a tense closing stretch”
Saint-Étienne
Rodez
Outstanding performance
Saint-Étienne•MidfielderSaint-Étienne dictated this match from the opening whistle, racking up 62% possession and nearly doubling Rodez's pass accuracy, and they made that control count through two clinical finishes from set-piece pressure. Thierno Ballo opened the scoring in the 15th minute after a spell of sustained pressure including two off-target efforts and a corner, while Augustine Boakye doubled the lead in the 55th minute following another corner and a Loni Quenabio header that was saved. Jakob Breum Martinsen was the creative force behind both goals, and Saint-Étienne's defensive work was equally impressive, with 18 tackles and four saves snuffing out anything Rodez tried to build, despite the visitors actually edging dangerous attacks 37-32. For Rodez, this result keeps them mired in trouble near the relegation zone, unable to turn territorial pressure into real shots on target or clear-cut chances, while Saint-Étienne continue to build momentum with a performance built on patience and precision rather than fireworks.
How entertaining was this match?
Octave Joly takes a shot, but it's saved.
Mamour Ndiaye comes on for Gautier Larsonneur.
Kelian Nsona Wa Saka takes a right-footed shot but misses.
On comes Nathan Kasia Nkondo, and off goes Ben Old.
Elyes Dhaoui comes on for Augustine Boakye.
Mathis Touho takes a right-footed shot but misses.
On comes Octave Joly, replacing Kenny Nagera.
Substitution: Marco Essimi comes on for Mathis Saka.
Adam Baallal is substituted for Jakob Breum Martinsen.
Antonin Cartillier takes a shot with his right foot, but it hits the post.
Joshua Duffus is substituted for Irvin Cardona.
Corner awarded.
Kelian Nsona Wa Saka takes a right-footed shot, but it's saved.
Kelian Nsona Wa Saka comes on for Steven Luyambulabiwa.
Mathis Touho is on, Nachon Nsingi is off.
Aron Csongvai receives a yellow card.
Corner awarded.
Augustine BoakyeAugustine Boakye scores with a right-footed shot.
assist: Jakob Breum
Goal! Augustine Boakye scores to make it 2-0, assisted by Jakob Breum Martinsen.
Loni Quenabio's header is saved.
Corner awarded.
Corner awarded.
Kenny Nagera takes a right-footed shot, but it is blocked.
First half ends with the score at 1-0.
Mathis Saka receives a yellow card.
Corner awarded.
Sohaib Nair takes a right-footed shot, but it's blocked.
Jordan Correia receives a yellow card.
Ryan Ponti takes a left-footed shot, but it's saved.
Aron Csongvai takes a right-footed shot, but it is blocked.
Corner awarded.
Irvin Cardona takes a left-footed shot but misses.
Ryan Ponti is substituted off for Luzolo Vangi Vungele.
Thierno BalloThierno Ballo scores with a right-footed shot.
assist: Jakob Breum
Goal! Thierno Ballo scores to make it 1-0, assisted by Jakob Breum Martinsen.
Corner awarded.
Joao Ferreira takes a right-footed shot but misses.
Augustine Boakye takes a right-footed shot, but it misses the target.
Nachon Nsingi takes a right-footed shot but misses.
Aron Csongvai takes a shot with his right foot, but it's saved.
Thierno Ballo takes a right-footed shot but misses.
Jakob Breum Martinsen takes a right-footed shot, but it is saved.
Kick-off! The referee is Pierre Gaillouste.
