Saint-Étienne (AFP)

Saint-Etienne was again hung Thursday on his ground in the Europa League, by the Ukrainian club Olexandriya (1-1) after a match of the third day (Gr.I) whose happy and unhappy hero has was the Brazilian Gabriel Silva.

Victim of a rupture of the left Achilles tendon February 22 in Dijon during a meeting of championship of France, Silva quickly opened the mark of a good shot of the left (8th) after a pass of Romain Hamouma, celebrating his return to the starting lineup of the Greens after eight months of stopping.

Alas for him, he was less happy a few minutes later by scoring a goal against his side (14th) at the reception of a center delivered from the left wing by Maxym Treyakov allowing Olexandriya to equalize, before being warned early in the second period (49th).

This draw, the second consecutive home after the conceded October 3 against Wolfsburg (1-1), nevertheless allows Saint-Etienne to keep the hope of a qualification for the round of 32.

Tied with Olexandrya (2 pts) in Group I, they are only three points behind Wolfsburg and La Gantoise, who are neutralized (1-1).

The Greens, however, remain on a positive dynamic since the arrival of new coach, Claude Puel, October 4, remaining undefeated in their last five games including three victories in the league of France.

Apart from the goal of Gabriel Silva, they have dominated the meeting but they may regret not having seen their offensives succeed for lack of technical accuracy in the last thirty meters.

From the beginning of the second period, the ASSE has increased the pace especially with the entry into play of Ryad Boudebouz (46th) and that of Charles Abi (63rd), instead of Jean-Eudes Ahoulou and Arnaud Nordin respectively, and finally that of Denis Bouanga replacing Robert Beric (74th).

After a good shot by Romain Hamouma (66), Abi (19), just shot a header and pushed goalkeeper Yuriy Pankiv to a nice parade (70th).

At the very end of the game, a recovery of Hamouma's head after a center from Bouanga also spun just over (90) while a good recovery of Boudebouz was diverted by Pankiv (90 + 4).

But for his part, the young William Saliba (18) also saved the Greens from defeat on an action led by Valeriy Luchkevich (69).

This one illustrated, besides the goal against its camp of Silva, the persistent imperfections in the defense forézienne despite, globally, a good organization of game.

© 2019 AFP