Saint-Étienne (AFP)
Saint-Etienne, whose coach Ghislain Printant is in an ejection seat, conceded the draw (1-1) on his home ground against the German club Wolfsburg, but showed a conquering attitude, Thursday on the second day of Europa League.
Stephans, 19th and penultimate of the Ligue 1, already beaten opening the competition on the lawn of La Gantoise (3-2), occupy the third place in group I dominated by the Belgian club and Wolfsburg, 7th in the Bundesliga who have two wins each.
The ASSE, which returned to victory in Nimes on Sunday in the French league (1-0), delivered a consistent performance and deserved to open the mark by Timothée Kolodziejczak who found, with success, the opening a shot from the left after a missed aerial exit goalkeeper Pavao Pervan (13).
Alas, Saint-Etienne, always feverish in defense, conceded very quickly the equalizer on a resumption of the head of William who took advantage of the passivity of Kolodziejczak and Arnaud Nordin at the reception of a center of the wing left issued by Josim Brekalo (15).
All in all, the two teams played an animated game but without real chances of goal except, for Saint-Etienne, on a corner of Wahbi Khazri which was almost diverted in his own cage by Marcel Tisserand (75) and two ultimate signed opportunities Nordin then Charles Abi (90 + 4).
For their part, the Wolves were dangerous on a free kick by Maximilian Arnold rejected by Jessy Moulin, who replaced Stéphane Ruffier, package (87) and on a disagreement between Loïc Perrin and Harold Moukoudi that could have benefited Lukas Nmecha (89) .
Until the end, the Greens, with a very dynamic offensive animation, tried to force the decision but they were penalized by a lack of percussion and accuracy in the finishing area.
They have in any case demonstrated that they have not unleashed their coach at the opposite of their leaders who negotiate, in a surreal climate, to find a replacement, especially with Claude Puel, former manager of Lille, Lyon , Nice, Southampton and Leicester.
The good attitude of the players should not however save Printant, but it is not yet excluded that the latter is still on the bench Etienne Sunday at the derby against Lyon Geoffroy-Guichard stadium.
© 2019 AFP