Ligue 1: Saint-Etienne beats Montpellier

Three goals from Romain Hamouma, Arnaud Nordin and Wahbi Khazri enabled Saint-Etienne to snatch a deserved victory (3-1) at the expense of Montpellier, Saturday February 5, at the Geoffroy-Guichard stadium, after a a match of the 23^and day that the Greens, ultra-combative, totally dominated.

While waiting for Sunday’s matches, the Stéphanois temporarily abandon the last place in Lorient and go back to 19^and rank. With this second consecutive success in the league after that obtained in Angers (1-0), on January 26, they come back to within two points of Bordeaux and Troyes (17^and and 16^and), the first two non-relegable.

After having hired seven players in the transfer window, coach Pascal Dupraz had lined up three of them at kick-off: goalkeeper Paul Bernardoni, defenders Falaye Sacko and Eliaquim Mangala while striker Sada Thioub entered the club. hour of play (58^and). But it was above all the players who came off the bench, Romain Hamouma and Arnaud Nordin, who came into play in the 58^and minute for the first and at the 70^and for the second, which were decisive under the incredible pressure of a boiling Cauldron audience.

Solid and united Montpellier defense

Hamouma, back from injury, equalized with a shot into the top corner (82^and) before Nordin deceived Dimitry Bertaud with a curled shot from the right after having transplanted from the left to the right (90^and). Finally, Wahbi Khazri, back from the African Cup of Nations (CAN), brought the score to 3-1 by taking over at the far post a cross delivered from the left wing by Nordin again (90 + 3).

The Montpellier residents have long hoped for a victory that would have taken them to the 4^and ranking place, where they remain at 6^and rank. They quickly opened the scoring by Sepe Elye Wahi who victoriously took over at the near post a cross delivered from the right wing by defender Arnaud Souquet from the 11th^and minute.

Subsequently, Montpellier displayed a fine defensive organization coupled with great solidarity highlighted by the performance of goalkeeper Jonas Omlin. The latter, until he gave up his place due to injury, was decisive on two shots, in quick succession, from Denis Bouanga (35^and), two attempts by Wahbi Khazri (37^and49^and) or Arnaud Nordin (66^and). It was on this action that the Montpellier goalkeeper was injured before being replaced by Bertaud (69^and).