Last August, Saint-Etienne probably did not imagine making maintenance its challenge of the season. Yes but now, when it came to the lawn of Brest Sunday, the Greens had lost seven of their last eight games in Ligue 1, and the place of barrage was only two points away.
What you must remember :
It will always be, at the end of this 25th levee, when a terribly disturbing Sainté fell in Finistère (3-2). After a collective school action, Paul Lasne opened the scoring (20th), before Gaëtan Charbonnier (38th) then Irvin Cardona (43rd) hit the nail before halftime, rewarding a formidable first period in Brest. The penalty of Denis Bouanga (54th) then the goal of the new entrant Loïs Diony (70th) was not enough, despite a revived end to Brest, thirteenth thanks to this first victory in four games (one defeat, two draws) .
Small patch of blue sky, ASSE had snatched its qualification for the semi-finals of the Coupe de France on Thursday by leaving Épinal (National 2, 4th Division). Its only thinning in a very dark period. But when you lose to Metz and Brest in the space of two weeks, you don't deserve better than looking dangerously down.
Coach: Claude Puel tries… in vain
While a Puel effect had come to an end when the technician arrived last October - four wins and five draws in all competitions - it did not last. The French coach made real choices this Sunday, notably leaving Mathieu Debuchy or Loïc Perrin on the bench.
And with the young people (Saliba, Abi, Fofana, Camara or even Mason at the start), the green reversal only came too late. And the Greens are sixteenth of L1.
💥 Here is the XI of # ASSE which will start # SB29ASSE 👇 pic.twitter.com/d8NGnczxKH
- AS Saint-Étienne (@ASSEofficiel) February 16, 2020The number: 3
Saint-Etienne had not been led by three or more goals in half time in a Ligue 1 match since December 13, 2009 against Paris (0-3 in the end).
