Third consecutive victory for AS Saint-Etienne, which is carrying out a very good operation with a view to maintaining this Monday evening in Nîmes (2-1) at the end of the 24th day of Ligue 2. The Crocos missed the mark in all start of the match before waking up a bit too late to at least hook the Greens in this duel at the bottom of the table.
What is the difference between AS Saint-Etienne a few weeks ago and AS Saint-Etienne today? Answer: she no longer concedes a goal from the start of the match! And yet, Nîmes had a golden opportunity to directly take the lead in this meeting. After an uncertain back pass from Pétrot, Larsonneur pulled out all the stops in front of Benezet (2nd). Enough to sting the Greens, who reacted immediately with a stoppage from Dias on a center-shot from Nkounkou (3rd), a name that you will often find in the summary of a lively first period. In the meantime, the Crocos confirmed their good start with a new situation with a good three-way combination from a corner, concluded by a strike from Pagis repelled by Larsonneur (11th).
As before, ASSE responded tit for tat with a heavy strike from Krasso, again released by Dias on the parade (13th). After this good quarter of an hour, NO would end up suffering too much, especially on his right side. After several centers and incursions, an untenable Nkounkou ended up finding the fault with a powerful shot at the near post on a perfect delivery from maestro Krasso in the box (0-1, 34th). After a fine tribute paid to Charbonnier with a long-term injury, the player on loan from Everton was still in action with a blocked ball which passed just above the bar (36th). At the break, Sainté therefore quite logically came back in the lead in the locker room, after having had a good scare.
🇫🇷 #Ligue2BKT
💚 Niels Nkounkou allows ASSE to open the scoring in Nîmes and pays tribute to Gaëtan Charbonnier! pic.twitter.com/XJsqAPQaXd— beIN SPORTS (@beinsports_FR) February 20, 2023
Nîmes wakes up too late
Fred Bompard, still frustrated at being behind at half-time, was going to be even more disenchanted. Five minutes after the resumption, Wadji went on the counter after a clearance from a corner. A rush worthy of a third line to eat Burner on the shoulder, before fixing Dias at the near post with a flat foot (0-2, 51st). At the hour mark, the Gard coach slammed a triple change to try to turn things around. The effect was immediate with Ambri pushed in the back in the area by Sow, but M.Thual did not designate the penalty spot on this contentious action… (62nd). For his part, Tchokounté made his power speak with his head to force Larsonneur into a big save near his post (68th). Far from being resigned, the top scorer in Nîmes jumped higher than everyone on the next corner from Pagis to revive the suspense with a new uncrossed header in the skylight (1-2, 68th)! Unfortunately for the Antonins supporters, this great reaction from their players was too late to make up for this two-goal deficit and a center shot from Burner found the opposing bar (84th). Nîmes (17th) is now four points behind Pau, the first non-relegation player, while Saint-Etienne climbs to 15th place.
The game sheet:
Ligue 2 – 24th day – Stade des Antonins
Nimes – Saint Etienne : 1-2 (0-1)
Goals: Tchokounté (68th) for Nîmes / Nkounkou (33rd), Wadji (51st) for ASSE.
Warnings: Burner (88th) for Nîmes / Nkounkou (33rd), Monconduit (81st), Wadji (84th) for ASSE.
The composition and the notes:
NO : Dias (4) – Labonne (4, replaced by Guessoum, 85th), De Gevigney (5), Djiga (5), Burner (4) – Lopy (4, replaced by Fofana, 58th), N’Guessan (6) – Said (4, replaced by Ambri, 58th), Pagis (5), Benezet (4, replaced by Tchokounté, 58th) – Mousset (4, replaced by Koné, 67th).
Le banc: Maraval, Thomasen.
ASSE : Larsonneur (7) – Appiah (5), Sow (6), Briançon (6), Pétrot (4), Nkounkou (7, replaced by Fomba, 70th) – Monconduit (6, replaced by Chambost, 90th), Bouchouari ( 4, replaced by Nadé, 70th), Lobry (6) – Krasso (6), Wadji (7, replaced by Pintor, 90th).
Le banc : Fall, Giraudon, Pavlovic.
Photo by Philippe Lecoeur/FEP/Icon Sport
