After the first leg of the Ligue 1 Relegation/Promotion playoffs, everything remains open. The 10th time France champions came into this match as favorite over the third placed League 2 team Auxerre, but in the end, they can be happy that the score remained as it is: Auxerre – Saint Etienne 1-1. The Greens played their typical game this season, the game which brought them into this relegation fight in the first place: they took the lead, and then allowed their opponent to equalize. In this particular match, the hosts equalized deservedly, and even had a chance for a total U-turn, but in the end it remained 1-1 ahed of the return leg.🔚 Full time! All even at the first leg of the play-off and it will be decided on Sunday in Saint-Étienne!#AJAASSE pic.twitter.com/owAJGMa2FH— Ligue 1 English (@Ligue1_ENG) May 26, 2022 Saint Etienne may took an early leady through Zaydou Youssouf, but the real hero of the match was guests keeper Paul Bernardoni. The Greens were the second best team throughout the game and it showed in the statistic department (Auxerre had 60% possession and 5 shots on target) and the hosts will regret missing at least three great chances in this match. In the end, they managed to score a goal of hope, when a substitute Perrin hit the ball in the upper rigth corner for the final score. Luckily for the Greens, in the Ligue 1 relegation/promotion playoffs matches there is still an ’away goal’ rule, which means that Youssouf’s goal might still prove to be crucial, but in order to avoid the relegation, Saint Etienne must play a lot better on May 29th, when they will host Auxerre on an empty Stade Geoffroy Guichard stadium, due to suspension after a crowd trouble.
ASSE are the most successful club in French league history with 10 league titles. They have also won six Coupe de France crowns, a Coupe de la Ligue and five Trophies des Champions titles. However, their last league triumph came in the 1980-81 season. This season, PSG became the second club in France with 10 titles.Ligue 1, Relegation/Promotion Playoffs, First LegAuxerre – Saint-Etienne 1-1 (0-1)/Perrin 86 – Youssouf 15/