The “air holes” of Sainté, engaged in the race to maintain

An excellent first half, a very good end to the match and, in the middle, a “air hole” for Saint-Etienne. Overthrown Wednesday evening by OGC Nice (4-2), the Greens, still 18th in Ligue 1 in the play-off position, are accustomed to these relaxations.

And even if they “are truly invested”, it is “not in the long term”, according to their coach who evokes a possible “physiological problem”. “Football is 94 minutes of intensive effort. You need to have a large number of players who can repeat them at high intensity to last. It can also be an explanation, ”commented Pascal Dupraz after the meeting.

As in Lorient on April 8

Everything had started very well for Sainté. With a first opportunity from Denis Bouanga from the 2nd and a goal from the same right ally nine minutes later (0-1, 11th) after a call to the VAR on an offside finally decided. The Niçois completely off topic, their evening opponents at the Allianz Riviera drove the point home just before the break. Zaydou Youssouf scored on a very nice volley (0-2, 45+5).

Then, the emptiness back from the changing rooms. “We no longer closed the lines as before, nor put Nice in danger when we came out of the density”, pointed out the coach of Stéphanois. Like April 8 in Lorient (6-2), the players of Saint-Etienne, leaders in the first half, let everything pass on the other half of the match. Four goals in less than thirty minutes. “We are not superheroes”, conceded midfielder Adil Aouchiche, in the mixed zone, evoking “a blow from the club”.

“We still have a 50% chance of remaining”

From which the Greens will have to recover very quickly. Three points behind Metz, the first relegation player, Sainté is playing his next season in Ligue 1 with only two games left before the end of the championship. “We need boys with more mental freshness, also explained Pascal Dupraz. But it is with these boys that we must maintain ourselves. And we always have a 50% chance of succeeding. »

The club will host Reims (12th) on Saturday at the Geoffroy-Guichard stadium, and will travel to Nantes (9th) on May 21. Hoping not to encounter new air pockets.