Following a largely uneventful match, Saint-Étienne secured a dramatic 0-0 (7-6 on penalties) victory against Rodez on Friday evening in the Ligue 2 play-off 2. This triumph propels Les Verts into a two-legged barrage against the 16th-placed team from Ligue 1, which will be either Le Havre, Auxerre, or Nice.
The Ligue 2 play-off 2 clash between Saint-Étienne and Rodez was ultimately decided by a tense penalty shootout on Friday night. A pivotal decision by coach Philippe Montanier, who introduced 36-year-old substitute goalkeeper Brice Maubleu in place of captain Gautier Larsonneur just before the end of regular time, proved instrumental. The experienced shot-stopper from Isère delivered an outstanding performance, making four crucial saves to secure a 0-0 (7-6 on penalties) victory for Les Verts. This hard-fought win qualifies them for a two-legged barrage against the 16th-placed team in Ligue 1 – either Le Havre, Auxerre, or Nice – whose identity will be confirmed on Sunday at 9 PM. The first leg is scheduled for May 21 in Saint-Étienne, with the return match taking place away on May 24.
The penalty shootout itself was an agonizing affair. Saint-Étienne initially seemed destined for victory after Maubleu’s two early saves gave them a two-goal advantage. However, Aïmen Moueffek missed a potential match-winning penalty, finding the gloves of Rodez’s Quentin Braat, who is widely considered the best goalkeeper in Ligue 2. With their backs against the wall, Djylian N’Guessan (17 years old), Abdoulaye Kanté, and Maxime Bernauer stepped up to keep Saint-Étienne’s hopes alive. Maubleu then produced another vital save and even stepped up to take a penalty himself, only to miss. His fourth save, however, was decisive, paving the way for Loïc Nadé to convert his spot-kick and send the Geoffroy-Guichard stadium into raptures.
rodez’s missed counter-attack chance
“It was a complicated match,” admitted Saint-Étienne defender Maxime Bernauer to beIN Sports. Indeed, Les Verts found themselves challenged by a spirited Rodez side, who arrived on the back of an impressive 21-match unbeaten run and a convincing 3-2 victory over Red Star in play-off 1.
Didier Santini’s men created the better opportunities in the first half, with Wilitty Younoussa striking Gautier Larsonneur’s left post with a chipped effort in the 21st minute, and Tairyk Arconte forcing a save from Larsonneur just before halftime (45+1 min).
Perhaps showing signs of fatigue, Rodez struggled to maintain their intensity in the second half. Saint-Étienne dominated possession but failed to create many clear-cut scoring chances, aside from Moueffek’s central shot that Braat managed to parry away in the 90+1 minute. Ten minutes earlier, the Ligue 2 fifth-place finishers had a golden opportunity to win the match on a counter-attack, but Sammy Benchamma completely misfired his shot after being found in a dangerous position (81st min). While Rodez will remain in Ligue 2 for the 2026-2027 season, Saint-Étienne’s dreams of promotion to the top flight are very much alive.
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