PLAYER RATINGS | Strasbourg 3-1 Saint-Étienne: Liam Rosenior’s side return to winning ways and revive Champions League charge | OneFootball

Ligue 1 McDonald’s, Round 31, 26/04/25

After draws against OGC Nice and AS Monaco, RC Strasbourg Alsace returned to winning ways against AS Saint-Étienne (3-1) to provisionally take fifth place and put themselves back in the fight for UEFA Champions League football.

The Match

Strasbourg survived a big early scare. From a turnover, Aïmen Mouffek found Irvin Cardona unmarked inside the box. The latter’s first-time effort was struck straight out Djordje Petrovic. It was a golden chance but not one as good as the rebound. Just a couple of yards out and with the goal gaping, he blasted high.

Liam Rosenior’s side made the most of their reprieve. Emanuel Emegha did well to hold off Loïc Nego, find Diego Moreira, whose outside-of-the-boot finish was sumptuous and found the top corner. On top, Strasbourg then struck the post through Sébastien Nanasi, however, the next goal came for Les Verts.

It was a curled ball down the wing from Léo Pétrot that caught out Ismaël Doukouré. Zuriko Davitashvili controlled it, cut inside Andrew Omobamidele and then Mamadou Sarr and then blasted past Petrovic.

Les Alsaciens reacted well and put Sainté back under the cosh. Emegha, however, was wasteful with his chances, the best coming when he was put through by Nanasi but, destabilised by Nego, his shot flew wide. The Dutch forward then thought he had scored, tapping in from close range but Félix Lemarechal was adjudged to have fouled Moueffek on the knockdown. “Unbelievable! It’s not a foul,” complained Rosenior on the sideline. Emegha did have another shot but once again could not beat Gautier Larsonneur, who kept his side in the tie.

Sainté almost took the lead seconds into the second half. Cardona, so wasteful in the first half, volleyed at the near post from a corner, hitting the underside of the bar before Mickaël Nadé missed a sitter just yards out when the ball was whipped back in. Emegha then missed another chance with Maxime Bernauer making an important goal-saving intervention as both sets of forwards continued their profligate first-half performances into the first knockings of the second 45.

Prior to his exit, Cardona had the chance for one more miss as he shot straight at Petrovic from a favourable position. Saint-Étienne had their chances but failed to take them and eventually Strasbourg’s quality did tell. Moreira, the scorer of the first, set up Emegha for the second with the former’s first-time ball finding the latter unmarked in front of goal and just a couple of yards out.

Concluding a fluid team move from back to front, Dilane Bakwa’s sweeping finish into the near corner then settled the tie. It means that, with three games remaining, ASSE remain in the relegation zone. Strasbourg, for now, are fifth and level on points with Nice in fourth, who occupy the final Champions League qualification spot.

Strasbourg player ratings

Djordje Petrovic – 6

Mamadou Sarr – 6

Andrew Omobamidele – 7

One of the three culprits in Saint-Étienne’s goal, he made up for it in the rest of the match. He comfrotably won his battle with Stassin and was never out of shot whenever the Belgian forward got on the ball. He was aggressive and intense in the duels and outmuscled his opponents. It is the kind of performance that will count in his favour with RCSA mulling over activating his purchase option.

Ismaël Doukouré – 4

Diego Moreira – 8

He ran Saint-Étienne’s defence ragged. He won his duels in the first half and it was if his opponent accepted defeat, simply giving him right of passage down the left hand side in the second half. He made the most of his space, taking his goal brilliantly with brilliant technique and then setting up Emegha for Strasbourg’s second.

Valentín Barco – 6

Andrey Santos – 6

Dilane Bakwa – 6

Sébastien Nanasi – 5

Emanuel Emegha – 6

Despite a goal and an assist, this was not a vintage Emegha display. He was wasteful throughout, missing a handful of big chances but he was nonetheless the scorer of the second and he was the key to RCSA’s opener. A contrasting afternoon for the Dutchman.

Félix Lemarechal – 4

Saint-Étienne selected player ratings

Lucas Stassin – 3

One of the most in-form forwards in Ligue 1, he was completely shackled by the Strasbourg defence, notably by Omobamidele. Prior to his substitution in the 80th minute, he had drifted out to the left with the aim of influencing the match, however, he failed to have any impact on proceedings.

Zuriko Davitashvili – 7

Mickaël Nadé – 2

He was at fault for Les Alsaciens’ first goal, going down too easily and unncessarily in his duel with Emegha, for which he was the strong favourite. He really should have put Saint-Étienne ahead early in the second half but lacked the bravery and awareness to head in from close-range.

Irvin Cardona – 2

The tone for his performance was set in the second minute when his spectacular miss let Strasbourg off the hook. A spectacular volley almost gave Saint-Étienne the lead but he was then wasteful again, striking straight at Petrovic from a good position. With some sloppy link-up play too, this was a performance to forget.

Pierre Ekwah – 6

GFFN | Luke Entwistle