St Etienne seal dramatic return to French Ligue 1

St Etienne,10-time French champions, have made a triumphant return to Ligue 1 after a two-season absence.

They secured their promotion by drawing 2-2 with Metz in extra time, winning the Ligue 1 play-off 4-3 on aggregate. This victory also resulted in the relegation of Metz to Ligue 2.

Metz faced an uphill battle in the second leg, needing to overturn a one-goal deficit from the first leg. Their task became even more challenging when Pape Amadou Diallo was shown a red card for a high challenge on Dennis Appiah just six minutes into the match.

However, this setback seemed to ignite Metz's fighting spirit. They relentlessly attacked the St Etienne goal with long-range shots and eventually took the lead in the 17th minute. Koffi Kauou's low cross was played back into the danger area by Matthieu Udol, setting up Lamine Camara to score.

Metz continued their impressive performance and completed the turnaround in the first half. Georges Mikautadze showcased his skill by dribbling from the left wing into the penalty area, where he was fouled by Irvin Cardona. The referee awarded a penalty, which Mikautadze confidently converted, giving Metz a 3-2 lead in the tie and marking his ninth goal in as many games.

However, St Etienne quickly responded and equalized just 10 minutes later. Leo Petrot found himself unmarked at the back post and expertly volleyed the ball into the net from Aimen Moueffek's flick-on from a corner.

St Etienne continued to dominate the game until the end of the first half, with their appeals for a penalty due to a suspected handball by Kauou being denied.

In the second half, Metz goalkeeper Alexandre Oukidja made crucial saves, including a firm header from Mathieu Cafaro and a strike from Florian Tardieu. Udol also had an opportunity at the other end but sent his shot skyward.

Shortly after the 60-minute mark, Oukidja once again found himself in the spotlight as St Etienne believed they had scored their second goal.

However, Ibrahim Sissoko knocked the goalkeeper to the ground after Oukidja saved the striker's close-range shot, allowing Yvann Macon to easily tap the ball into an empty net.

Nevertheless, after a review by the Video Assistant Referee (VAR), it was determined that Sissoko had committed a foul against Oukidja, resulting in the disallowance of the goal.

During the later stages of regular time, Olivier Dall'Oglio's team of 11 players pushed for an equalizer.

Despite having control of the game, it was Metz who had the best opportunity to score with Arthur Atta's shot being blocked with only 10 minutes remaining.

Sissoko himself had a penalty claim dismissed in the final minute, leading to an additional 30 minutes of play.

Metz began extra time on the defensive, with Oukidja being tested by Tardieu's long-range effort, almost losing control of the ball near Cardona.

After weathering the pressure, the home team launched an attack down the right side. Kevin van den Kerkof attempted a reverse flick towards goal from a low cross by Danley Jean Jacques, but Gautier Larsonneur showcased his goalkeeping skills this time, denying the shot.

In the second period of extra time, Danley's cross provided van den Kerkof with a fantastic opportunity, only for Appiah to make a crucial block and prevent a certain goal.

Then, with just five minutes remaining, the visitors took full advantage of their numerical superiority and scored the winning goal, securing promotion in a dramatic fashion.

Appiah and Nathanael Mbuku combined on the right side to execute a skillful move that exposed Metz's defense. Ibrahima Wadji capitalized on the opportunity and sealed the victory, leading to a jubilant response from the traveling fans.

Unfortunately for Metz, their three home wins throughout the entire season proved to be their downfall, resulting in their immediate relegation.

Meanwhile, St Etienne made a triumphant return to the top flight using the very same approach that caused their demotion in 2022.