Saint-Etienne 3-1 Stade de Reims: Boakye bags brace on injury return to secure comeback victory for hosts
Augustine Boakye scored two goals within a span of seven minutes in the second half, marking his first goals in St Etienne's colors, and played a pivotal role in securing a commendable 3-1 comeback victory against Stade de Reims, thereby lifting the team out of the Ligue 1 relegation zone.
The tipping point for departing manager Olivier Dall'Oglio came with a 2-1 defeat to Toulouse, leaving the club in the relegation play-off position during the festive season. Eirik Horneland, who was honored as Norwegian Manager of the Year in 2022, took on the challenging role and faced a tough initiation against a Reims team that had remained unbeaten in their last six encounters.
His players appeared eager to make an impression and nearly took the lead when Mathieu Cafaro evaded the offside trap, rounded goalkeeper Yehvann Diouf, but unfortunately sent his left-footed shot into the side netting from a narrow angle.
A more significant opportunity was wasted shortly thereafter, as Louis Mouton initially executed his play well by maneuvering past a reckless challenge from Cedric Kipre, only to see his shot strike the base of the post—a moment that encapsulated both his and the team's struggles in front of goal.
Just before halftime, they were made to pay for their missed chances when the ball fell to Reims’ leading scorer, Keito Nakamura, who capitalized on the opportunity and struck home with his left foot, ending a six-match goal drought.
Whatever Horneland communicated during the intermission proved effective, as his team executed a remarkable turnaround in a breathtaking 10-minute flurry following the restart.
Boakye, who had previously found it difficult to score since his arrival, demonstrated his potential to the home supporters by first tapping in at the back post after connecting with Mickaël Nadé’s cross, and then cutting in from the left to unleash a powerful shot into the top corner, leaving Diouf with no chance.
Luka Elsner's team appeared visibly shaken, and despite having recorded three clean sheets in their last five matches, they struggled defensively. Sainte capitalized on counter-attacks late in the game as Reims pressed forward in search of an equalizer.
Lucas Stassin, who had previously provided an assist, effortlessly lifted the ball over Diouf in a one-on-one situation after skillfully evading Kipre's challenge.
Horneland was undoubtedly elated, likely wishing his team could compete at Stade Geoffroy-Guichard every week, considering they have secured 15 of their 16 league points at home. With this victory marking only their second win in six league matches, it offers a foundation for St Etienne to build upon, while Reims now finds themselves without a win in their last five top-flight encounters.
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