Ligue 1 Relegation/Promotion Playoff, First-Leg, 26/05/2026
AS Saint-Étienne hosted OGC Nice in the first leg of their relegation/promotion playoff. It was a match that could have perhaps been played without goalkeepers to a similar result, as both sides looked content to go into Friday’s decider on a goalless draw.
It was always going to be a cagey affair with the two sides playing for a place in Ligue 1. There weren’t too many chances of note for either team in the first half, with neither Yehvan Diouf in the Nice goal nor Gautier Larsonneur in Saint-Étienne’s needing to make too many interventions.
There was a physical edge to the game, which left Hicham Boudaoui unable to continue in the 11th minute. Minutes before, he came off worse in an accidental collision with Abdoulaye Kanté, suffering a blow to the head that left him dazed and needing to be replaced by Charles Vanhoutte.
Saint-Étienne believed they were about to receive a penalty when VAR called the referee over to take another look at Kojo Peprah Oppong’s tackle on Luan Gadegbeku just outside the area. However, instead, they were left bitterly disappointed when the referee overturned the decision to award them a free kick and pointed instead to a drop ball.
Down the other end, they were perhaps a bit fortunate to escape conceding a penalty when Lucas Stassin cleared the ball with a high kick and made contact with Oppong.
The start of the second half didn’t bring many changes to how the game was playing out, with neither side getting a firm foothold until around the hour mark. By then, Saint-Étienne’s youthful energy was beginning to show signs that they were growing into the occasion, although they were still limited to potshots from distance rather than meaningful challenges to Diouf’s goals.
The match wouldn’t so much fizzle out, because that would suggest there was some sort of spark in the first place. But it would end without either side having shown much on the pitch. More will certainly come on Friday when their fates for next season are decided at an empty Allianz Riviera.
Yehvann Diouf, 5
Kojo Peprah Oppong, 6
Juma Bah, 7
Back in the team after missing the Coupe de France final with the reinstatement of club captain Dante. He played well and encapsulated a solid defense that was, truth be told, largely untested in any meaningful way.
Antoine Mendy, 6
Melvin Bard, 5
Morgan Sanson, 5
Hicham Boudaoui, N/A
Replaced by Charles Vanhoutte (5).
Jonathan Clauss, 5
He had an interesting position where he looked more like a forward rather than his usual position as a wing-back. Like Cho, this feels more like a move made by Claude Puel, inspired by the desperation of a lack of meaningful attacking options on the bench.
Tiago Gouveia, 3
Mohamed-Ali Cho, 3
Rated the worst of his team, but largely because he was played out of position. Cho has proven that he’s not a striker. However, with Elye Wahi suspended and Kevin Carlos ineffective, it was an appearance out of necessity.
Sofiane Diop, 4
Replaced at half-time by Ali Abdi (5).
Gautier Larsonneur, 5
Julien Le Cardinal, 6
Zuriko Davitashvili, 4
Lucas Stassin, 4
