A truly goalless affair unfolded in the first leg of the Ligue 1 playoff. AS Saint-Étienne, who finished third in Ligue 2 this season, and OGC Nice, the 16th-placed team from Ligue 1, concluded their encounter at Geoffroy-Guichard without a single goal scored by either side.

While the atmosphere in the Saint-Étienne cauldron was electric, fueled by the fervent hope of seeing the ‘Verts’ return to the top flight, the action on the pitch proved to be rather subdued. A mere 11 shots were registered in total, with neither team managing to hit the target, despite promising attempts from Clauss (25th minute), Davitashvili (58th minute), and Boakye (60th minute).

This draw ultimately benefits neither contender, particularly Saint-Étienne, who failed to leverage their home advantage and the immense support of their fans to gain a psychological edge over a vulnerable Nice side. The visitors, still reeling from their French Cup final defeat last Saturday and further hampered by the early exit of Bouaddi due to a head injury, struggled to offer more attacking threat.

Consequently, the fate of both clubs will be decided in the decisive second leg, scheduled for this Friday, May 29th, at the Allianz Riviera. The suspense endures as we await to see if Saint-Étienne will join Troyes and Le Mans in securing direct promotion to Ligue 1, or if Nice will successfully battle to retain their place among France’s elite clubs.