Nice beat Saint-Étienne to retain top-flight status

Nice and ASSE make amends in exciting first half

After a first leg without any shots on target and little by way of goalmouth action, the second leg got off to a much better start. Within 10 minutes, Irvin Cardona thought that he had given Sainté the lead, but his effort had deflected off teammate Lucas Stassin on the way in. The Belgian, unfortunately for Philippe Montanier and his men, was in an offside position.

Saint-Étienne, however, were the ones who asked the questions inside the opening 20 minutes. Prior to his disallowed effort, Cardona had already flicked a header just wide (7') and it was Cardona who was the provider for Stassin to strike over the net on the stretch.

🇨🇮 11 G/A in 19 matches with Nice
🇨🇮 A brace in the L1/L2 play-offs
🇨🇮 Arrived at Nice in January

See you in the World Cup, Elye Wahi 🦅 pic.twitter.com/6NSfT51629
— Ligue 1 English (@Ligue1_ENG) May 29, 2026

OGC Nice will be playing their football in Ligue 1 McDonald's this season and AS Saint-Étienne in Ligue 2 BKT after the former scored four goals at the Allianz Riviera to secure their top-flight status (4-1).

Goals fly in at empty Allianz

Nice, looking to save their place in Ligue 1 McDonald's, needed to respond and they did. Elye Wahi struck the post following a goalmouth scramble (replays showed he would have been flagged offside) and the Ivory Coast international was involved again, mishitting a shot towards Jonathan Clauss at the backpost. Kevin Pedro was perfectly placed to make the goal-saving block (22').

Chances, unlike at the Chaudron on Tuesday, continued to come thick and fast, with both sides compensating for the lack of shots on goal in Saint-Étienne. Stassin, with an effort on the stretch again, went close (35').

But it was Nice who finished the half the better. Dante forced Gautier Larsonneur into a good save, and in the same phase of play, Antoine Mendy, who had stayed up from the initial corner, then popped up at the back post, but couldn't beat the ASSE goalkeeper with his half-volley (39').

Nice were in the ascendancy as half-time approached, and that remained the case when they emerged from the tunnel at the start of the second. Wahi latched onto a loose ball but could only strike at Larsonneur (50'). Moments later it was Dennis Appiah who saved ASSE (59'), but neither he nor Larsonneur, Sainté's reliable last line of defence, could do anything about Jonathan Clauss' volley moments later (62').

Wahi with a parting gift

The relief was etched across his face, but it looked like it was going to be a stressful 30 minutes for Nice, who had a lead to defend. It wouldn't have been if not for Larsonneur, who made a brilliant double save from Kail Boudache and Wahi from the same action (67').

Larsonneur's heroics would be rewarded. Sainté would be awarded a penalty for an Antoine Mendy handball and Ligue 2 BKT POTS, Zuriko Davitashvili, stepped up to slot it home.

But Nice's reaction was immediate and it came from Boudache, who curled home (81'). Then came the moment for a parting gift. Wahi will leave upon the expiry of his loan, twice got in behind and twice finished (86', 90+1'), ending the match as a contest and ensuring that Nice will play in Ligue 1 McDonald's next season.

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