Maubleu’s late heroics secure saint-étienne’s dramatic playoff victory

Following a largely uneventful match, Saint-Étienne triumphed over Rodez on Friday evening in the Ligue 2 play-off 2, winning a tense penalty shootout (0-0, 7-6 on penalties). This hard-fought victory means Les Verts will now face the 16th-placed team from Ligue 1 – either Le Havre, Auxerre, or Nice – in a crucial two-legged promotion playoff.

The decisive moment arrived at the very end of regular time when coach Philippe Montanier made a bold tactical substitution, bringing on 36-year-old reserve goalkeeper Brice Maubleu in place of captain Gautier Larsonneur. This decision proved instrumental; the experienced shot-stopper delivered a masterful performance, making four crucial saves in the shootout to propel Saint-Étienne into the next round. The first leg of this significant encounter is scheduled for May 21 at Saint-Étienne, with the return leg taking place away on May 24.

The penalty shootout itself was an agonizing affair, keeping spectators on the edge of their seats. Initially, Les Verts seemed destined for an early celebration, building a two-goal lead after Maubleu’s initial stops. However, Aïmen Moueffek squandered a match-winning opportunity, with his shot saved by Rodez’s Quentin Braat, widely regarded as one of Ligue 2’s top goalkeepers. With their backs against the wall, young Djylian N’Guessan (17 years old), Abdoulaye Kanté, and Maxime Bernauer stepped up to keep Saint-Étienne’s hopes alive. Maubleu then made another vital save, and even stepped forward to take a penalty himself, only to miss. His fourth save, however, proved to be the ultimate turning point, allowing Loïc Nadé to confidently convert his spot-kick, sending Geoffroy-Guichard into raptures.

Rodez’s missed opportunities on the counter

As Saint-Étienne defender Maxime Bernauer acknowledged, “It was a complicated match.” Indeed, Les Verts found themselves frustrated by a spirited Rodez side. Didier Santini’s men arrived with impressive momentum, boasting a 21-match unbeaten streak and fresh off a convincing 3-2 win against Red Star in the play-off 1.

Rodez, displaying greater attacking intent, created the best scoring chances in the first half. Wilitty Younoussa struck Gautier Larsonneur’s left post with a chipped effort in the 21st minute, and Tairyk Arconte forced a save from Larsonneur just before halftime in the 45th minute.

As the second half progressed, the visitors from Rodez appeared to tire, losing some of their earlier sharpness. Saint-Étienne dominated possession but struggled to create clear-cut chances, with Aïmen Moueffek’s central shot, pushed away by Braat in the 90th minute, being a rare exception. Ten minutes prior, Rodez had a golden opportunity to win the match on a counter-attack, but Sammy Benchamma completely misfired from a pull-back in the 81st minute. With this defeat, Rodez will remain in Ligue 2 for the 2026-2027 season, while Saint-Étienne keeps its promotion aspirations very much alive.