Recap: Cafaro’s Goal Against LOSC Gives ASSE First Win of Season

Saint-Étienne picked up their first win of the 2024-25 season on Friday night, winning 1-0 over LOSC Lille at Stade Geoffroy-Guichard.

Les Verts have had a challenging start to their return to Ligue 1 this season, having lost all first three matches before the FIFA international break while also conceding seven goals.

As for Lille, this contest against Saint-Étienne was their final tune-up match before shifting focus to the UEFA Champions League next week.

In the first half, the home side recorded six total shots and the lone goal of the match came early in the sixth minute after Mathieu Cafaro beat Lille goalkeeper Lucas Chevalier.

The former Stade de Reims star is one of the players helping ASSE make their way up from Ligue 2 to France's top flight. So, it's pretty fitting that Cafaro's goal was Saint-Étienne's first in Ligue 1 in over two years.

Les Dogues would record eight total shots in the first 45 minutes but couldn't find the equalizing goal heading into halftime. In the second half, Lille again had more total shots than Saint-Étienne, recording nine total shots while the home side had four.

Jonathan David and Angel Gomes entered the match off the bench in the 57th minute. Both players were returning from international duty—David with Canada's national team and Gomes with England's.

Despite putting the two players onto the pitch, it wasn't enough as Lille couldn't find the game-tying goal in the second half. 

Gautier Larsonneur recorded four saves for Saint-Étienne to record his first clean sheet of the season. The last time the 27-year-old had a clean sheet in Ligue 1, the shot-stopper was with Stade Brestois, who he played from 2017 to 2023 before leaving for ASSE.

Olivier Dall'Oglio and his team will look to make it two straight wins when they face OGC Nice next Friday at Allianz Riviera.

Lille will focus on the Champions League as they travel to Lisbon to face Sporting CP at Estádio José Alvalade. After that away match, LOSC will welcome RC Strasbourg to the Stade Pierre-Mauroy.

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