It will probably not last beyond the weekend but Saint-Etienne will nevertheless be satisfied with it: the Greens, winners of Strasbourg (2-0) and carried in their Geoffroy-Guichard stadium by Denis Bouanga, scorer and decisive passer, Saturday, September 12, took the lead in Ligue 1 after their second victory in two games, on the third day of the French Football Championship.
With six points in two days, this success, difficult to obtain, is above all very valuable for the young Saint-Etienne team in reconstruction and victorious in Lorient (2-0) for its entry into the championship, which will have to continue Thursday in Marseille, in late match, and Sunday in Nantes.
The Greens took the advantage on a penalty scored by Bouanga (57e), conceded for a fault of hand of Alexander Djiku. This is the third penalty in as many games conceded by the Strasbourg, now last in the standings with a zero points. Top scorer for the Greens last season with 14 goals in 40 games in all competitions, Bouanga has scored for the first time this season.
Bouanga, decisive on the second goal also
“I needed this goal for confidence. In this difficult match, at least one goal was needed. I had the courage to take that penalty and score. I hope we will continue like this. Last season I scored in the second game as well. I hope this is a sign ”, declared the former Lorient and Nîmes. In difficulty in the first period, he was also decisive on the second goal of his team. After a good job on the right side, he delivered a cross back for Mahdi Camara (2-0, 82e).
ASSE obtained other opportunities to score, on a shot from Arnaud Nordin or on a free kick from Adil Aouchiche, deflected by the Alsatian goalkeeper Bangoura Kamara (15e, 42e).
Saint-Etienne was able to take advantage of the lack of realism of Racing, which could have opened the scoring on a recovery of the head of Majeed Waris diverted on the bar by Jessy Moulin (13e), which also intervened on a free kick from Kenny Lala (45e+1) and two attempts by Kévin Lucien Zohi (7e, 53e).
A shot from Mehdi Chahiri also narrowly passed (78e) while Timothée Kolodziejczak, in front of his line, and Moulin in turn saved the Greens on two attempts by Adrien Thomasson and Chahiri (90e+1).
The Aiglons stopped in flight
Beaten earlier in the afternoon in Montpellier (3-1), Nice must therefore give up, on goal difference, this first place. The Aiglons, who host the Parisian French champions next week, were stopped in mid-flight at La Mosson by an attractive and offensive MHSC.
Michel Der Zakarian’s team opened the scoring with their center forward Gaëtan Laborde (18e), who sent an Andy Delort cross in the background with a superb half-volley at the penalty spot. Central defender Daniel Congré has offered himself an unprecedented double. First with an uncrossed head (50e) on a corner from Téji Savanier, then by a fox goal (64e) after two attempts rejected by Walter Benitez. Dante closed the gap with a header at close range (69e), too late to revive the Niçois.
“We had ideas to play this game well, but we have to put all our energy on D-Day to be present on the pitch. We didn’t. We came across a team that wanted more than us. It is not possible, it disappoints me ”, explained the Brazilian defender of OGC Nice.
While Montpellier is recovering from its opening defeat and provisionally climbs to tenth place, Lille, Rennes, Monaco or Nantes, four points out of every four, will have the opportunity on Sunday to seize the lead in their turn, during a third day which will be marked in the evening by the clash between Paris-SG and Marseille.
