News Focus
- OGC Nice beat AS Saint-Étienne 4-1 on aggregate to retain their Ligue 1 status for next season.
- The decisive match was played behind closed doors at the Allianz Riviera following a previous pitch invasion by home supporters.
- On-loan striker Elye Wahi scored twice in the final ten minutes to seal the victory for the hosts.
- Saint-Étienne will remain in the second tier despite high expectations of an immediate return to the top flight.
OGC Nice have guaranteed their place in France’s top division for the next campaign. They produced a dominant display to defeat AS Saint-Étienne 4-1 in the second leg of the relegation play-off on Friday night. The aggregate score stood at 4-1.
The fixture took place at the Allianz Riviera without any fans in attendance. Nice were forced to play behind closed doors after their supporters stormed the pitch following the previous match two weeks ago. Both clubs entered the tie with enormous pressure to avoid the drop or secure promotion.
The first leg had finished goalless. Neither team managed to register a single shot on target during that cagey encounter in Saint-Étienne. This set up a tense decider on the French Riviera.
The visitors thought they had taken an early lead when Lucas Stassin found the net in the tenth minute. However, the goal was ruled out for offside after the forward diverted Irvin Cardona’s effort past goalkeeper Yehvann Diouf. Saint-Étienne came close again through Stassin, but he could not keep his stretching efforts on target.
Nice grew into the contest after these early scares. Elye Wahi struck the woodwork before half-time, while both Dante and Antoine Mendy went close to breaking the deadlock. The home side controlled possession and created the better chances throughout the second period.
Jonathan Clauss eventually opened the scoring with a well-taken volley. Saint-Étienne responded strongly and won a penalty shortly afterwards. Antoine Mendy was judged to have handled the ball inside the area, and Zuriko Davitashvili calmly converted the spot-kick to level the match.
The final ten minutes proved decisive. Kail Boudache, who has been linked with a transfer away from the club, curled a precise shot into the net to restore Nice’s advantage. His celebration showed both rage and relief. Saint-Étienne pushed forward in search of an equaliser, leaving gaps at the back.
Wahi exploited the space twice in one-on-one situations against goalkeeper Gautier Larsonneur. The striker kept his composure on both occasions to effectively end the contest. His brace came during nine minutes of added time. Wahi will leave Nice when his loan spell expires, making his performance a fitting farewell gift.
The result means Saint-Étienne remain in Ligue 2 despite retaining star assets like Stassin and Davitashvili. The club’s ambitious owners now face a difficult task keeping their most valuable players after failing to achieve immediate promotion. Nice, meanwhile, have narrowly avoided disaster and will compete in Ligue 1 next season.