Finally "more serene", the Nantes sign a big blow to Saint-Etienne

• The Nantes residents broke a black streak this Sunday by signing their first success at Saint-Etienne in 20 years.
• As long as to do, the men of Christian Gourcuff have even decided to prevail by two goals away for the first time of the season in L1.
• Mehdi Abeid and Ludovic Blas thus allow the Canaries to grab an unexpected fourth place at the start of the return phase.

At the Geoffroy-Guichard stadium,

Hallelujah, the fourth in Ligue 1 has just changed with a favorable goal-average this Sunday. For the first time in the league season, the Nantes have indeed managed to win by two goals in a freezing Cauldron because of the sanction of a closed match behind closed doors after the famous fireworks during ASSE-PSG (0-4). "Yes, and it happened earlier in the game," smiles Dennis Appiah, aware that his team's specialty is 1-0 (seven times).

But that was before the liberating goal of Ludovic Blas in Saint-Etienne (0-2, 48th). "I felt we were in control, progress in the game", continues the right side. His coach Christian Gourcuff was just as enthusiastic, despite this empty stadium context giving "less flavor" to the success of the Canaries.

I think this victory is deserved. We controlled this meeting. There have been interesting movements. We do not have only 11 players, young people assert themselves as Thomas Basila [entered at the break] and Imran Louza who takes another dimension from match to match. My only regret is not having played more in the last quarter of an hour taking advantage of our two goals ahead. "

"This scenario relieves us of the end of the match"

Faced with a diminished and clearly ill Saint-Etienne team, the goal-average could thus have been better treated, despite the physical glitches of Molla Wagué and Ludovic Blas during the meeting. “This scenario relieves us of the end of the match, appreciates the latter. You have to take advantage of it when it happens because it is much easier for us in our minds to finish a match like this. "

"Mood: feels happy" 🥳🤩

🔚 #ASSEFCN 0️⃣-2️⃣ pic.twitter.com/PQqc9WlZIy

Alban Lafont, who had only one intervention decision to execute for 90 minutes, namely a resumption of Arnaud Nordin saved from the leg (0-0, 8th), shares the observation: "Frankly, I felt that we were more serene after having scored this second goal. I thought it was much better in the game. After that, if we can win all of our games 1-0, we sign immediately. "

"We can reasonably look at the top of the ranking"

To hell with the offensive orgy, you will understand, with a team having presented itself with no real center-forward in Forez. Moses Simon has indeed abandoned his left side to compensate for the absence of Kalifa Coulibaly.

AS Saint-Etienne - FC Nantes - Ligue 1 direct https://t.co/l87ShQSYQb

This large victory of the day, on the Nantes scale, pushes Christian Gourcuff not to opt for a speech solely oriented towards maintenance (+ 15 points on the roadblocker): "Now we can reasonably look at the top of the ranking". And aim for the three goals away one day, who knows?

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