It was in a boiling Cauldron, sold out, that AS Saint-Etienne (ASSE) qualified for the play-off for accession to Ligue 1 by beating Rodez (2-0), Friday May 24, at Geoffroy-Guichard stadium, in a match in the second round of the Ligue 2 playoffs. ASSE will face Metz, sixteenth in L1, on May 30 and June 2 with the first leg to be played at home.
It was Irvin Cardona who gave ASSE the advantage by heading in a cross delivered from the left wing by Dylan Chambost after a throw-in. In added time, Nathanaël Mbuku delivered the Foréziens after breaking through the Ruthenian defense, bringing the score to 2-0 (90 6).
Third in Ligue 2, the Stéphanois, who missed the direct climb into the elite after conceding two draws and a defeat during the last three days of the championship, deserved their victory at the expense of Rodez (4?) who had beaten Paris FC on penalties (2-2, 3-2 tab) in the first round of the playoffs on Tuesday.
The Greens delivered a great performance, consistent throughout the match. They brought great intensity to the match from the first minutes to put pressure on their opponents, creating numerous chances.
The majority of the Greens’ attempts were off target, but the Ruthenian goalkeeper, Ewen Jaouen, was decisive by interposing in front of Ibrahim Sissoko (32), Mathieu Cafaro (32), Cardona (38), Léo Pétrot (48 ) or even Benjamin Bouchouari (90 5). The Aveyron goalkeeper also diverted a free kick played by Chambost (59th) onto the bar while Bradley Danger pushed a shot from Sissoko (63rd) back onto the line.
