“Irvin Cardona breaks the deadlock just before the break, converting after a period of sustained pressure that included two corners and a near-miss from Augustine Boakye.”
Pivotal“Thierno Ballo doubles Saint-Étienne's lead with a composed finish, coming just minutes after Adrien Hunou had been denied and with Clermont still regrouping from Breum's yellow card — the goal effectively ended the contest.”
Pivotal“Jakob Breum Martinsen adds a third, capping a dominant home performance and putting the result entirely beyond doubt despite carrying a yellow card from earlier in the half.”
“Ousmane Diop grabs a late consolation for Clermont, assisted by Junior Sambia, to make the scoreline marginally more respectable after a chastening evening for the away side.”
Saint-Étienne
Clermont
Outstanding performance
Saint-Étienne•MidfielderSaint-Étienne were patient in the first half and clinical thereafter, using their superior possession and pressing game to suffocate a Clermont side that mustered just seven shots across the ninety minutes. The opener came from a period of sustained pressure around the 37th minute — back-to-back corners, an Augustine Boakye effort that went wide, and then Irvin Cardona breaking the deadlock four minutes before the break to send the home side in ahead. The second half was a different game entirely. Ballo's strike on 54 minutes, coming shortly after Breum had picked up a yellow card on the other end, gave Saint-Étienne a two-goal cushion and the match was essentially over. Breum himself then added a third on 71 minutes, his yellow card earlier in the half proving no deterrent, and though Ousmane Diop pulled one back in stoppage time via a Junior Sambia assist, it was merely a consolation. Saint-Étienne's 56 percent possession, 21 shots to Clermont's seven, and a dominance index of 68 to 48 tells the full story — this was a controlled, professional home performance that moves them firmly into the conversation at the right end of the Ligue 2 table.
How entertaining was this match?
Ousmane DiopOusmane Diop scores with a left-footed shot.
assist: Junior Sambia
Goal! Ousmane Diop scores to make it 3-1, assisted by Junior Sambia.
Goal! Ousmane Diop scores to make it 3-1, assisted by Junior Sambia.
Kevin Pedro takes a right-footed shot but misses.
Joshua Duffus takes a right-footed shot, but it is blocked.
Ibrahim Coulibaly is coming on for Ivan MBahia.
Ibrahim Coulibaly is on, and Ivan MBahia is off.
Ibrahim Coulibaly is on, and Ivan MBahia is off.
Substitution: Arthur Saintorens comes on for Christ Okou.
Joshua Duffus is substituted for Irvin Cardona.
assist: Áron Csongvai
Goal! Jakob Breum Martinsen scores, making it 3-0.
Yellow card shown to Ivan MBahia.
On Maidine Douane comes on for Mohamed-Amine Bouchenna.
Junior Sambia replaces Adrien Hunou.
Maidine Douane is substituted off for Mohamed-Amine Bouchenna.
On Junior Sambia, off Adrien Hunou.
On Junior Sambia, off Adrien Hunou.
Zurab Davitashvili is replaced by Thierno Ballo.
Zurab Davitashvili is substituted for Thierno Ballo.
Corner awarded.
Corner awarded.
Goal! Thierno Ballo scores, making it 2-0.
Adrien Hunou takes a right-footed shot, but it is blocked.
Thierno Ballo takes a right-footed shot but misses.
Jakob BreumYellow CardYellow card issued to Jakob Breum Martinsen.
Jakob BreumYellow CardYellow card shown to Jakob Breum Martinsen.
Ousmane Diop is substituted off for El Hadj Kone.
Thierno Ballo takes a right-footed shot, but it is blocked.
The first half ends with a score of 1-0.
Thierno Ballo takes a right-footed shot, but it is blocked.
Corner awarded.
Left-footed shot missed.
Jakob Breum Martinsen takes a right-footed shot but misses.
Corner awarded.
Corner awarded.
Irvin CardonaIrvin Cardona takes a shot with his left foot and scores.
assist: Thierno Ballo
Goal! Irvin Cardona scores to make it 1-0.
Augustine Boakye takes a left-footed shot but misses.
Corner awarded.
Corner awarded.
Corner awarded.
Augustine Boakye takes a left-footed shot but misses.
Thierno Ballo's left-footed shot is saved.
Tamar Svetlin is on, and Joao Ferreira is off.
Corner awarded.
Corner awarded.
Corner awarded.
Joao Ferreira takes a right-footed shot but misses.
Kick-off! The referee is Mickael Leleu.
