Saint-étienne secures dramatic play-off win against rodez with penalty shootout heroics

The Ligue 2 play-off 2 between Saint-Étienne and Rodez culminated in a dramatic penalty shootout on Friday evening. A pivotal decision by coach Philippe Montanier, who introduced substitute goalkeeper Brice Maubleu, 36, in place of captain Gautier Larsonneur just before the final whistle, proved decisive. The veteran shot-stopper from Isère made an incredible four saves, securing a 0-0 (7-6 on penalties) victory for Les Verts. This triumph propels them into a two-legged promotion play-off against the 16th-ranked team from 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 21st in Saint-Étienne, with the return match taking place away on May 24th.

The penalty shootout itself was an agonizing spectacle. Saint-Étienne appeared to be cruising to victory after Maubleu’s initial two saves gave them a two-goal advantage. However, Aïmen Moueffek squandered a match-winning opportunity, his shot thwarted by the formidable Quentin Braat, widely regarded as Ligue 2’s top goalkeeper. With their backs against the wall, Djylian N’Guessan, just 17 years old, along with Abdoulaye Kanté and Maxime Bernauer, stepped up to keep Saint-Étienne’s hopes alive. Maubleu then made another crucial stop and even took a penalty himself to seal the win for ASSE, but he, too, failed to convert. His fourth decisive save ultimately paved the way for Loïc Nadé, who calmly slotted home his penalty, sending the Geoffroy-Guichard stadium into raptures.

Rodez’s counter-attack nearly seals the deal

Saint-Étienne defender Maxime Bernauer admitted, “It was a difficult match.” Indeed, Les Verts found themselves frustrated by a vibrant Rodez side, who arrived with an impressive 21-match unbeaten streak and a convincing 3-2 victory over Red Star in play-off 1 already under their belt.

Didier Santini’s squad displayed far greater attacking intent, crafting the best opportunities of the first half. Wilitty Younoussa struck Gautier Larsonneur’s left post with a clipped shot in the 21st minute, while Tairyk Arconte forced a save from Larsonneur just before the break in the 45th minute plus one.

Perhaps feeling the effects of their recent exertions, Rodez’s intensity waned in the second half. Saint-Étienne gained more possession but struggled to create genuine threats, save for an overly central strike from Moueffek that Braat parried in the 90th minute plus one. Ten minutes prior, the fifth-placed Ligue 2 team had a golden opportunity to win the match on a counter-attack, but Sammy Benchamma, receiving the ball pulled back, completely misfired his shot in the 81st minute. Rodez will remain in Ligue 2 for the 2026-2027 season, while Saint-Étienne keeps its promotion dreams vividly alive.