Maintaining Bordeaux is still hanging by a thread.
But, mathematically, the Girondins de Bordeaux escaped a descent this Wednesday evening.
For that, Saint-Etienne would have had to win in Nice, unfortunate finalist of the Coupe de France against Nantes (1-0), four days earlier.
After 45 minutes perfectly mastered, the Greens thought they had done the hardest part.
Normal with a two-goal lead, Pascal Dupraz's players sealed the last hopes of Bordeaux, but a football match lasts 90 minutes.
In the first period, in an Allianz Riviera stadium with bare stands, the Aiglons first made Saint-Étienne bloom again.
Facing a Nice team, yet dominating but too messy, the Greens had the merit of quickly opening the scoring on a masterfully led counter.
It all starts with Yvann Maçon who tumbles down the right side and sends a cross to the chest of Denis Bouanga (0-1, 11th).
This goal has the gift of waking up the Riviera supporters who obviously did not appreciate the opener.
The latter sing a controversial and inadmissible song about Emiliano Sala, the former Nantes player, who died in a plane crash three years ago.
"He's an Argentinian, who doesn't swim well, Emiliano underwater."
Just listen to the Chant.
What a fdp club.#OGCNFCN pic.twitter.com/BFGS6Ozd8s
— jordan (@jordancaille2) May 11, 2022
The match again switches to a new one against the Greens with Denis Bouanga at the start.
The striker serves Boudebouz who crosses for his partner Zaydou Youssouf at the far post.
The volley is not powerful but extremely well placed (0-2, 45th + 5).
With a two-goal lead, the Stéphanois seem to be safe.
But if Saint-Étienne is in this situation this season, it is not by chance.
In ten minutes, the sky falls on ASSE.
Melvin Bard deceives the Forézien goalkeeper in an impossible angle (1-2, 53rd).
Doubt invades the green heads who are joined on a super-powerful free kick from Andy Delort (2-2, 60th).
At this precise moment, Bordeaux can breathe, it is no longer virtually relegated to Ligue 2.
On the back foot, Saint-Étienne sinks again by conceding a third goal in the space of ten minutes by the inevitable Andy Delort, author of his 13th goal of the season (3-2, 62nd).
The people of Nice take shelter on a strike from Boudaoui (4-2, 80th).
They take the opportunity to get back into the race for Europe by coming back on the heels of Monaco (3rd) who have two more points.
