"A match like that, you will not see it again in your career (...) in particular three reds, then six goals, I have never experienced that", declared to the microphone of beIN Sports the coach of Saint-Etienne Laurent Batlles after the match.

The Greens were first reduced to 9 in the first period following the exclusion of Anthony Briançon (31st), for a second yellow card, then Mathieu Cafaro, author of a bad gesture on Oualid El-Hajjam (37th ).

"It is surely perhaps deserved", estimated the Stéphane coach, while saying to himself "not convinced that (El-Hajjam) was hit in the head" by his player.

A member of the ASSE staff was also expelled in stride by the referee, Mr. Letexier, for protest.

But it was on returning from the locker room that the Stéphanois really took on the water, conceding six goals in less than 40 minutes.

Sangante opened the scoring from a corner (51st), followed by Alioui (56th).

Lekhal (64th) widened the gap with a shot at the entrance to the surface.

"not normal to come to this"

ASSE finished the match at 8 and conceded three additional goals after the expulsion of goalkeeper Etienne Green for a failed outing on Kitala (66th), who presented himself in front of him without adversity.

"It's a fact of the game", judged Laurent Batlles.

Entering in place of Green and little helped by his defense, Noah Raveyre, 17, was powerless against Operi (80th, 84th) and Kitala (90th).

"I find that the will to fight to try to at least keep the score as long as possible, it is not there," lamented the Greens coach.

"We have to try to find a group that wants to fight (...) which will perhaps show less play but a lot more commitment, and then maybe we will find some play," said he added.

Saint-Etienne, bottom of Ligue 2 with an accounting record of - 1 point - the result of a three-point penalty received last season - is therefore still looking for a first victory in the league (2 matches draws and two losses).

"I will have to find solutions (...) Today, it is not normal that we have come to this," concluded Laurent Batlles.

© 2022 AFP