Ligue 2 BKT: Leaders hold firm as Troyes & Sainté run riot

There was no change at the summit of Ligue 2 after matchday 28, as both Troyes and Saint-Étienne delivered emphatic victories to maintain the status quo in the promotion race.

League leaders Troyes continued their imperious form with a 5-1 demolition of Dunkerque, making it five consecutive wins and underlining their credentials as favourites for automatic promotion. An early red card for Dunkerque’s Aristide Zossou (24’) tilted the balance, but Troyes were already in control, having opened the scoring after just 37 seconds through Martin Adeline.

Top scorer Tawfik Bentayeb added to his tally with a brace (45’, 75’) to reach 15 goals for the season, while late strikes from Ripart and El Idrissy completed the rout. The result leaves Troyes on 57 points, four clear at the top.

Saint-Étienne, however, ensured the pressure remains firmly on. The Greens responded with a 4-0 victory over Annecy at the Stade Geoffroy-Guichard, extending their excellent run to six wins in seven matches under Philippe Montanier.

A youthful spark came from Kévin Pedro, who opened the scoring, before the attacking trio of Irvin Cardona, Lucas Stassin, and Zuriko Davitashvili all found the net. Davitashvili now sits on 12 goals, second in the scoring charts, while Saint-Étienne remain second with 53 points.

Behind the top two, Le Mans kept pace in third (50 points) after a dramatic 4-3 win away at Amiens. Despite surrendering a two-goal lead, they snatched victory deep into stoppage time against a side reduced to ten men.

1 ⚽️ et 1 🅰️

Lucas Stassin a célébré sa 1ère convocation avec les @BelRedDevils de la meilleure des manières ! 🇧🇪 pic.twitter.com/PubPfLH1yk
— Ligue 2 BKT (@Ligue2BKT) March 21, 2026

Red Star win at Clermont

Meanwhile, Red Star continued their strong push for promotion, securing a 1-0 win at Clermont thanks to a Hacène Benali penalty. The Parisian side sits fourth on 47 points, reinforcing their growing credentials as serious contenders.

Further down the table, Reims moved into fifth (46 points) with a solid 2-0 win at Guingamp, while Rodez were held to a 1-1 draw by Bastia, making them the only side in the top six not to win this weekend.

At the bottom, Laval produced a crucial late comeback to beat Grenoble 3-2, a result that lifts them slightly clear of danger in 17th place.

With just six games remaining, the promotion battle remains finely poised. Crucially, Troyes, Saint-Étienne, and Le Mans all won, ensuring the gap at the top remains unchanged heading into the international break.