A truly goalless draw unfolded in the opening leg of the Ligue 1 promotion play-off. At the Geoffroy-Guichard stadium, AS Saint-Étienne, who finished third in Ligue 2 this season, and OGC Nice, the 16th-placed team from Ligue 1, concluded their encounter without finding the back of the net.

The most significant action of the evening often seemed to emanate from the stands, where the fervent Saint-Étienne faithful created an electrifying atmosphere, passionately yearning for their beloved ‘Verts’ to return to the top flight. On the pitch, however, the spectacle was less inspiring, marked by a distinct lack of offensive prowess: a mere 11 shots were recorded across both teams, with not a single one hitting the target. Despite this, there were notable chances for Clauss (25th minute), Davitashvili (58th minute), and Boakye (60th minute).

This stalemate ultimately serves neither side particularly well. It proved especially frustrating for Saint-Étienne, who failed to leverage their home advantage and the immense support of their crowd to gain a psychological edge over a somewhat vulnerable Nice squad. The visitors had just suffered a defeat in the Coupe de France final the previous Saturday and were further hampered early in the match by the forced departure of Bouaddi, who sustained a head injury. Nice, despite their challenges, couldn’t muster a more impactful performance.

Consequently, the entire fate of this crucial tie now hinges on the return leg, set to take place at the Allianz Riviera this Friday, May 29. The suspense will undoubtedly persist until the final whistle, 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 coveted place among France’s football elite.