Saint-Étienne make perfect start as Red Star stun Nantes in Ligue 2 opener
The 2026/27 Ligue 2 season got under way in style over the weekend, with Saint-Étienne providing perhaps the most eye-catching performance of the opening round.
After narrowly missing out on promotion last season, Les Verts began their latest attempt to return to Ligue 1 McDonald’s with a convincing 3-0 victory away to newly-promoted Sochaux.
Saint-Étienne effectively settled the contest with a devastating six-minute spell during the first half. Summer signing Jakob Breum opened the scoring in the 22nd minute before Irvin Cardona struck twice to put the visitors three goals ahead before the half-hour mark.
Cardona’s brace provided an added reason to celebrate on his 29th birthday, while Breum capped an impressive competitive debut with an assist after having already caught the eye during pre-season.
After seeing their promotion hopes ended by OGC Nice in last season’s play-off, Saint-Étienne could hardly have asked for a more convincing start.
Red Star spoil Nantes’ return
There was considerably less to celebrate for FC Nantes, whose return to Ligue 2 began with a 1-0 home defeat to Red Star.
La Beaujoire was empty due to a disciplinary stadium closure carried over from last season, and Michel Der Zakarian’s side struggled to impose themselves in the absence of their supporters.
Red Star, who finished fourth last term, took full advantage. Kévin Cabral scored the only goal of the game to secure a deserved victory for the Parisian club and condemn Nantes to a frustrating opening night back in the second tier.
Elsewhere, FC Metz began their own push for an immediate return to Ligue 1 with a comeback victory over Guingamp at the Stade Saint-Symphorien.
The visitors took the lead, but Metz turned the match around in the space of just two second-half minutes through Pape Moussa Fall and Giorgi Abuachvili, whose goals in the 58th and 60th minutes respectively sealed a 2-1 win.
Late chaos in Montpellier
Few games provided more drama than Montpellier’s meeting with newly-promoted Dijon.
With the match still goalless heading into stoppage time, Lacine Megnan appeared to have snatched all three points for La Paillade. Dijon, however, responded almost immediately as Adel Lembezat equalised to ensure a remarkable 1-1 draw.
Annecy also began their campaign with victory despite playing almost the entire match with ten men. Axel Drouhin scored away to Pau in the 11th minute before Clément Billemaz was sent off only minutes later, but the Haute-Savoie side held firm to claim a 1-0 win.
Rodez left it late before eventually overcoming Laval 3-1, while Dunkerque were the highest scorers of the weekend as they defeated Grenoble 4-2.
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