News Focus
- The first leg of the Ligue 1 promotion/relegation play-off between AS Saint-Étienne and OGC Nice ended in a 0-0 draw.
- Neither team managed a single shot on target during the entire 103-minute match.
- Saint-Étienne failed to attempt even one shot from inside the opponent’s penalty area, a feat that has only occurred twice in 20 years.
- Statistics show the match produced a combined expected goals (xG) total of just 0.41, the lowest in France’s top two divisions over the past four seasons.
- The second leg takes place at the Allianz Riviera on Friday behind closed doors to decide who secures a spot in next season’s Ligue 1.
The atmosphere felt tense, but the football lacked excitement. AS Saint-Étienne hosted OGC Nice on Tuesday night for the first leg of the Ligue 1 promotion play-off.
Both teams cancelled each other out completely. During 103 minutes of play, neither side managed a single shot on target. Saint-Étienne, nicknamed Les Verts, did not even produce one attempt from inside the opponent’s penalty box. This has happened only two times in the past 20 years for the club.
Data from Opta, shared by L’Équipe, shows that the two clubs managed a combined expected goals (xG) figure of only 0.41. This is the lowest total for any match in Ligue 1, Ligue 2, or the promotion play-offs during the last four seasons.
Jean-Pierre Rivere, who serves as co-president of Nice, criticised his team after the match. “I did not recognise my players,” he said. “Once again, you can see the team is playing with fear.”
The scoreless draw means the tie remains level. The second leg will take place at the Allianz Riviera on Friday. The winner will secure a place in next season’s Ligue 1. The match will be played behind closed doors without any fans present.