Ligue 2 BKT: Troyes Take Control as Le Mans Surge and Saint-Étienne Slip

A dramatic Matchday 27 in Ligue 2 BKT has reshaped the promotion picture, with momentum swings at both ends of the table. While Le Mans continued their charge and Montpellier strengthened their play-off push, leaders Troyes showed resilience to extend their advantage—capitalising on Saint-Étienne’s slip in Grenoble.

Le Mans send a strong message in Nancy

Le Mans produced one of the standout performances of the weekend, coming from behind to beat Nancy 4-2 and strengthen their grip on third place.

In a match played behind closed doors at Stade Marcel-Picot, the hosts struck first, but Le Mans showed composure and attacking quality to turn the game around. Antoine Rabillard proved decisive, equalising before half-time and then taking control after the break to complete a clinical hat-trick. Lucas Buades added a fourth as the visitors dominated the second half.

The Sarthois moved onto 47 points at full-time, briefly closing the gap to Saint-Étienne to just two points and firmly inserting themselves into the automatic promotion conversation. At the other end, Nancy’s struggles continue, with the Lorraine side now winless in five matches and still looking over their shoulder in the relegation battle.

Saint-Étienne stumble and miss opportunity

Saint-Étienne were unable to respond to that pressure, being held to a frustrating 0-0 draw away at Grenoble. Looking to extend a five-game winning run and potentially move top of the table, the Verts started brightly, forcing early saves from Mamadou Diop. However, the intensity quickly dropped, and the game became increasingly disjointed.

After the break, Grenoble grew into the contest and created the better chances. Arthur Lallias came closest late on, missing an open goal, while Augustine Boakye had to clear off the line in stoppage time to preserve a point for the visitors.

The result leaves Saint-Étienne on 50 points, but more importantly represents a missed opportunity to seize control of the title race. The performance also raises questions about their ability to maintain consistency under pressure during the run-in.

Montpellier continue their late push

Montpellier are emerging as one of the form teams in Ligue 2, securing a second consecutive victory with a dramatic 2-0 win over Laval.

For long periods, the match appeared destined to end goalless, with Laval defending resolutely despite their precarious league position. However, Montpellier’s persistence paid off in the closing stages, with two late goals in the 88th and 90th minutes breaking the visitors’ resistance.

The result lifts the Hérault side to 41 points and into the Top 5, strengthening their play-off ambitions at a crucial stage of the campaign. With momentum building, they are now firmly part of a tightly packed group chasing promotion via the play-offs.

Troyes show champions’ resolve to extend lead

Leaders Troyes once again demonstrated resilience, coming from behind to beat Annecy 2-1 and take a significant step towards promotion.

In a relatively flat first half, Annecy struck just before the interval through Moïse Sahi Dion, capitalising on a lapse in the Troyes defence. But the league leaders responded immediately after the restart, with Anis Ouzenadji levelling following a defensive error.

From that point, Troyes took control, applying sustained pressure that eventually paid off. Veteran forward Renaud Ripart made an instant impact off the bench, scoring the decisive goal with five minutes remaining.

The win marks a fourth consecutive victory for ESTAC and takes them to 54 points, opening a four-point gap over Saint-Étienne and a seven-point cushion over Le Mans. Their ability to recover from setbacks continues to underline their status as favourites for automatic promotion.

Play-off race tightening behind

Behind the top three, the race for the play-offs remains incredibly tight and unpredictable.

Red Star (4th, 44 pts) continued their strong campaign with a narrow 1-0 win over Dunkerque
Rodez (6th, 43 pts) impressed by coming from behind to beat Reims 2-1 away from home
Pau (11th, 38 pts) remain firmly in contention after edging Clermont

Just six points separate 4th from 11th, highlighting the competitiveness of the division and setting up a tense final stretch. Every point gained or dropped could prove decisive in determining who secures a place in the promotion play-offs.