The decisive moment in the Ligue 2 play-off 2 between Saint-Étienne and Rodez arrived with a thrilling penalty shootout this Friday night. Manager Philippe Montanier’s tactical decision to introduce substitute goalkeeper Brice Maubleu, 36, in place of captain Gautier Larsonneur just before the end of regulation time proved to be a stroke of genius. The veteran shot-stopper from Isère made four crucial saves, securing a 0-0 draw and a 7-6 penalty shootout victory for Les Verts. This triumph propels them into a two-legged promotion/relegation play-off against the 16th-ranked Ligue 1 side, which will be determined this Sunday at 9 PM from a trio of contenders: Le Havre, Auxerre, or Nice. The first leg is scheduled for May 21 in Saint-Étienne, with the return match taking place away on May 24.

The penalty shootout itself was nothing short of breathtaking. Saint-Étienne initially seemed destined for an early victory after Maubleu’s first two saves put them two goals ahead. However, Aïmen Moueffek missed the opportunity to clinch the match, his shot saved by Quentin Braat, recognized as Ligue 2’s top goalkeeper. With their backs against the wall, young Djylian N’Guessan, 17, Abdoulaye Kanté, and Maxime Bernauer stepped up to keep Saint-Étienne’s hopes alive. Maubleu then made another vital save and even stepped up to take a penalty himself, but failed to convert. Nevertheless, his fourth save proved to be the ultimate game-changer. Loïc Nadé subsequently scored his penalty, sending the Geoffroy-Guichard stadium into raptures.

Rodez’s missed opportunities

“It was a complicated match,” admitted Saint-Étienne defender Maxime Bernauer to beIN Sports. Indeed, Les Verts struggled to break down a resilient Rodez side, who entered the fixture on an impressive 21-match unbeaten streak and fresh off a convincing 3-2 victory against Red Star in play-off 1.

Didier Santini’s men displayed greater attacking impetus in the first half, creating the most dangerous chances. Wilitty Younoussa struck Gautier Larsonneur’s left post with a clipped shot in the 21st minute, and Tairyk Arconte forced a save from Larsonneur just before halftime, in the 45th minute plus one.

Perhaps due to fatigue, Rodez’s intensity waned in the second half. Saint-Étienne gained control of possession but struggled to carve out clear-cut opportunities. An exception came in the 90th minute plus one, when Moueffek’s central strike was parried by Braat. Ten minutes earlier, the Ligue 2 fifth-place finishers had a golden chance to win the match on a counter-attack, but Sammy Benchamma, receiving the ball cut back, completely misfired his shot in the 81st minute. As a result, Rodez will remain in Ligue 2 for the 2026-2027 season, while Saint-Étienne keeps its promotion dreams vividly alive.